Book Reviews

I haven’t reviewed any books in quite a while, not that I haven’t read any, I was just never in the mood or on holiday. It happens. So here are some short, sweet and sassy summaries of books that have kept me company the past few weeks.

Mirror Mirror by Gregory Maguire

Maguire is best known for his contemporary adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, namely Wicked. In Mirror Mirror, Maguire has adapted Snow White to a 16th century Italian setting. It was last month’s book club book and quite a chore. I just couldn’t get into the story and the characters were down -right tedious. I started skimming the book from page 60 onwards just so I could say I finished it because I honestly couldn’t care less.

The Book of Lost Things by John Connelly

Once again, fairytales only better. After his mother dies, twelve-year-old David stumbles into an enchanted world filled with dwarves, wolves and myths and where nothing is what it seems. David is believed to be the next king in this dark and sinister coming of age story filled with things that go bump in the night. Connelly’s use of fairytales was simply ingenious as he has created a truly unique world filled with beloved characters, important lessons and lots of magic.

Notes on a Scandal by Zoë Heller

I actually wanted to see the movie with Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench but this book was on sale and I had never read anything by Heller before so… The book wasn’t bad, just slightly disappointing. After watching the trailer I was expecting a much darker psycho-sexual tale about a woman who begins an affair with a 15-year-old student. In the book her so called best friend Barbara (Dench) recalls the whole affair from start to its inevitably disastrous finish. No more, no less. The novel was bland, predictable but well written.

How I live now by Meg Rosoff

I’ve been trying to read one YA book a month seeing as it is becoming a genre that can no longer be ignored. I bought it because it was supposed to be “utterly flawless”, “an unforgettable adventure” and “fresh, honest and funny” but it was absurd, frustrating and boring. Basically everything goes to hell, no one wonders why and teenagers having sex with their cousins is completely natural. The perfect example that not all YA should be read after the age of 16.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

I loved this book. It’s a gothic drama / love story like Jane Eyre or Wuthering Heights filled with mystery, tragedy and good old fashioned storytelling. It revolves around Angelfield House and its former infamous inhabitants, the March family. What happened to them? And how does it affect biographer Margaret Lea? The Thirteenth Tale is book you want to curl up with in front of a roaring fire and just let it consume you.


On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

After actually being on Chesil beach, I couldn’t resist this book any longer. Although McEwan’s so called masterpiece Atonement was one of the worst novels I have ever read (even worse than How I live now), I decided to give this short piece of prose ago and I’m so glad that I did. It’s about a couple’s tragic wedding night in 1962. The result is quite sad, eloquent and truly heartfelt. My faith in McEwan has been temporarily restored, thanks to this sensitive yet sensual story that focuses on our most private thoughts (and parts for that matter).

And for those of you who were wondering, the job’s great. So no complaints there for a change.