1979. 18-year-old Nick lies in his private school dorm, waiting foFull review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
1979. 18-year-old Nick lies in his private school dorm, waiting for not only the end of term but a sign from his girlfriend saying she’s ready to go on their much-anticipated trip. What he gets is a hastily rushed ‘Dear John’ note informing him she won’t be going. Initially thinking that something is wrong, realisation eventually dawns that Nick has been dumped. How Nick handles this bombshell is pivotal to the rest of his life and that of many others.
Instead of retiring home to maybe lick his wounds and stare at the ceiling for the Summer, Nick decides he’s going to show everybody and run off to London like the ‘big boys’. Dragging fellow student Luke with him (almost literally – the situation is the dictionary definition of ‘railroaded’) Nick sets off to London in search of punk
2017. Middle-aged Nick is a business genius, building up his food delivery into a hot deal on the stock market. On the verge of floating as an IPO, he should be content and centred. Guess what? Nick’s a neurotic mess who’s still blaming everyone for his troubles.
What then follows is mistake after mistake, mainly fuelled by Nick’s arrogance and self-indulgence. In case you haven’t guessed – I didn’t like this lead character one bit. His use and abuse of those around him, his failure to accept his mistakes and his inability to learn means that developing empathy for this mc is a chore and highly unlikely for anyone with a soul. Belief has to be suspended that this one man would continually mess up in this manner, over decades, and no one has ever told him to stop.
This is probably because Nick is surrounded by equally weak characters, most of whom are introduced in a really rushed, frantic way and never truly fleshed out. As Let’s Fly is told from Nick’s perspective (and he’s completely unreliable anyway) we only experience how he sees them. Women are their mere physical forms and the male character’s purpose is whatever Nick can exploit them for.
Let’s Fly is promoted as a Nick Hornby type of novel – a romp through the punk life of Notting Hill. The issue for me is that is only the first third of the novel. Instead, the majority of the novel reads like a lighter version of Irvine Welsh as we slowly witness the undoing of a middle-aged man clearly punching above his weight.
Make no mistake, it’s very clear after the first 50 or so pages whFull review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
Make no mistake, it’s very clear after the first 50 or so pages where the plot of The Country Village Summer Fete is going, but it’s a nice ride getting there. Emma is full of regrets but is burying them in her hectic publishing job. Although working from home, her life is still full of deadlines and commitments. Sleep doesn’t come easy to her, and her late-night supermarket visits emphasise that. No matter her hard-earned wealth and privilege, Emma is not in a good place. A sudden call about her father’s health concerns forces her to take a break. But while Emma is eager to help and support her father, there’s a past in the village of Little Bramble that she’s not keen on revisiting.
That ‘past’ takes the form of Connor, her first, and biggest love. A strong partnership from their teens, Emma and Connor were the village darlings, destined to spend the rest of their lives together. But soon came a fear of the unknown for Emma and the pressure of being in a relationship, bound to small village life proved too much for her. Fleeing Little Bramble, breaking Connor’s heart and falling out with her beloved parents in the process, seemed the only recourse for Emma.
Initially, Emma hides away once she returns to Little Bramble, focusing solely on her father and his possible dementia. Gradually though, village life and its inhabitants begin to bring Emma out of her hard shell, forcing her to reevaluate not only her current life but the one she left behind. Soon, busy working to restore her late mum’s treasured workroom, the garden and helping her dad, she soon loosens up and begins to embrace the village life. And at some point, that means facing Connor.
While the novel brings a few hours of light escapism, there are issues that jarred for me at times. Lake has a tendency to expound on subjects regularly interrupting the narrative flow. This is especially prevalent towards the end of the novel. It is ok for a writer to state that a character got into a car. However, it isn’t necessary to state the make, model and colour. When discussing rehoming greyhounds, a potted history of how the dogs are treated doesn’t add anything to the plot. The novel also suffers from repetition; I lost count of how many times at the beginning of the story Emma placed on her ‘big sunglasses’.
Hopefully, these are new author issues that can be ironed out because Lake does have a deft touch when it comes to writing about grief. As someone who lost their own mum 3 years ago, I could totally relate to how Emma felt when clearing her mum’s workshop. As she reorganised, cleaned and set it up for her to follow in her mum’s jam-making footsteps, her agony and heartbreak were palpable. These moments (as with the times with her father) were so well-written and felt so real that they often left a lump in my throat.
The Country Village Summer Fete is a gentle countryside based romance that touches on many issues. Lost opportunities, grief and fear of overwhelming change drive a cosy narrative that hits all the right spots for this genre. A satisfying ending awaits you in Little Bramble, and I’m sure it won’t be the last one....more
SO much love for this book! Full review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
It’s Summer, 1975, in a post-Watergate ASO much love for this book! Full review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
It’s Summer, 1975, in a post-Watergate America. The Vietnam War has just ended, The Rocky Horror Picture Show debuts on Broadway, and the release of Jaws heralds the birth of the modern blockbuster. However, none of this has impacted one quiet household in suburban Roland Park, Baltimore. The respectable and proper household of Mr Dillard, his devoted wife and good-natured daughter Mary Jane is still very much caught twenty years in the past. The trials, tribulations and excitement of a country at the beginning of a cultural rebirth mean nothing within their four walls. As long as dinner is on the table, and grace is said (including prayers for President Ford) then all is right with the world.
But when Mary Jane gets a summer nannying job working for a nearby Doctor and his family, that closed-off, conforming world starts to look more like an oppressive prison. As Mary Jane gets more involved in the day-to-day lives of the Cone family she discovers that there’s more to her than becoming a clone of her mother.
As coming-of-age novels go, Mary Jane doesn’t veer too far from the predictable scenario: teen girl discovers how the other half lives – girl rebels – girl has awakening – there’s a hiccup – happy ending. The joy of this novel is how Blau constructs the world around Mary Jane. Stark contrasts fill the opening chapters as we experience the open, accepting household of the Cones and compare it with the bigoted, judgemental and snobbish Dillards. One central plot point is that Mary Jane is only allowed to work this job because it’s a doctor’s family. Unbeknownst to her mum, Dr Cone is a psychiatrist, still frowned upon by ‘respectable’ society. Even worse, especially as far as her father is concerned, the family is Jewish. The prejudice that Mary Jane’s parents show towards the Cones will make your skin crawl (as will their comments on Black people) but it is used well by Blau to serve as the total antithesis to the loving Cones.
Mary Jane as a character is a joy to read. Her internal monologues feel realistic; confused and anxious one minute, determined and resourceful the next. Her heart is huge and seems to have room for everyone. There’s not a moment that goes by where she isn’t considering the thoughts and feelings of others. The moments with her mum where she empathises with her are emotional and inspiring in equal measure. Rarely have I come across a teen protagonist so rounded and complete.
All throughout Mary Jane, the atmosphere screamed 70s America. From the descriptions of clothing to the music, neighbourhood settings, food (oh God – Mary Jane’s mum and her ‘cooking’) and music, it couldn’t have been set in any other time. That doesn’t mean you have to be of a certain age to appreciate the setting as Blau never includes anything that isn’t in the common cultural psyche. I genuinely don’t think this novel would have worked in any other time period. Blau uses the gulf between the inhibited, stuck Dillards (so close to Dullards – I love it) and the progressive Cones to emphasise the cultural gaps that were widening between the WW2 generation and the baby boomers. Expression and free thought were things to be feared, and Blau highlights this perfectly in the thoughts of Mary Janes parents.
Mary Jane is an incredible coming of age story that never deviates into a schmaltzy, romanticised version of 70s America. Blau makes no bones about the neglectful attitudes of the Cones towards Izzy, but it never feels intentional. Their overwhelming love and adoration not only for their daughter but anyone who comes into their lives reflects more on them than any tidy, prim house ever could. The novel has a satisfactory conclusion which gives the characters a lovely authentic ending to their journey and will leave you with a massive smile....more
*deep breath* Sigh. How can I describe a book as stunningly beautiFull review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
*deep breath* Sigh. How can I describe a book as stunningly beautiful as This Is How We Are Human? How do I summarise, without resorting to superfluous language, the complex relationships of its main characters? Can I do this novel justice without writing an opus of my own? The honest answer is – I don’t know. What is contained within Lousie Beech’s seventh novel is a tale of such emotional strength and fortitude that my only recommendation to you is to read it. Take an afternoon, shut off the world and lose yourself. I guarantee you will come out the other side with a fresh new take on life.
Sebastian James Murphy is twenty years, six months and two days old. He lives with his mum (who makes the best fried eggs in the world) loves to go swimming and adores pop hits from the 80s. Veronica is Sebastian’s mum, and she has devoted her life to his needs. Her son’s autism has meant she has had to fight every battle going. Be it against healthcare provision, education or bullies Veronica has found the strength to fight. There’s one issue that’s threatening to defeat her. Sebastian is twenty – and he has an insatiable sex drive.
Isabelle works as a high-class escort, earning money to pay not only her student fees but also for her dad’s medical care. Trapped in a spiralling situation she fears may swallow her, Isabelle loses herself as ‘Violetta’ her escort persona. But after a run of abusive and violent incidents, Isabelle is not sure how much more she can take.
I’d never read any of Louise Beech’s novels before so she is a totally new voice for me. But wow. What a voice it is. Everything in This Is How We Are Human feels so realistic and plausible that it’s hard to believe it’s not a biography. I work with many neurodivergent children and I can easily see them growing up into Sebastian. Kind, considerate, loving, but also frustrated and dismayed at what he cannot do, Sebastian is the true soul of the novel. This is mainly due to Beech choosing to switch the narrative to first-person solely for his chapters. I found this a real sign of respect for the character’s status. Not only does it mean that Sebastian’s voice and thoughts are his own, but it also adds credence to one of the central plot points throughout the book – the matter of consent.
All of the characters are beautifully written and their stories keep you invested all the way through. I recently read another novel where I found it hard to connect or like anyone involved. This Is How We Are Human was the polar opposite. Many a time I internally cheered at Sebastian’s forthrightness and honesty, held back a sob at Isabelle’s pain or felt anger and despair on Veronica’s behalf as she constantly felt helpless. Although there are other minor characters, this is truly a three-person story. The way Beech writes them as three parts of a whole is clever and emphasises the connectivity we have as humans.
This Is How We Are Human is an inspiring tale of courage, belief and comprehensively love. Each moment in the novel is raw with emotion – both positive and negative. Beech’s ability to inject the ‘unsaid’ into conversations and internal monologues is unsurpassed; not once do you ever feel like you are being hit with the ‘sledgehammer of sincerity’. To have a novel with such a sensitive subject matter and not be preached to requires an incredibly talented author. Thank goodness for Louise Beech....more
I love characters who veer from the norm – those who shun stereotyFull review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
I love characters who veer from the norm – those who shun stereotypical representations are especially high on my list. Enter August Drummond, the central character of James Wolff’s latest spy thriller How to Betray Your Country. Here is a man who not only veers from the expectations of a modern spy, he careers down the mountain at a hundred miles per hour, taking everything in his path with him, until he crashes, dishevelled, at the bottom – surrounded by the consequences of his actions.
Initially, we don’t begin the novel with our protagonist, but instead with a report on Operation Inkwell. Within these reports are recounts and recordings of events that occurred during the previous novel ‘Beside the Syrian Sea’. And it appears that August isn’t faring too well and has been a bit of a bad lad. When we do join with August, there’s plenty of evidence to show that he’s not coping at all. Drinking heavily on a flight to Istanbul, he’s pestered by his neighbour and is getting more concerned by the minute about the behaviour of the young man in seat 34c. August’s training has kicked in (despite all the gin) and his instincts tell him something isn’t right. Although attempts to discover more while on the train fail him, he can’t ignore his feelings and even though he is no longer in the employ of the government, August takes it upon himself to investigate further.
Right from the airport, August dives headlong into the mystery involving 34c, whose identity he has now assumed after the man is arrested. But not only is he now caught up in the unfolding mystery behind 34c and terrorist activity, but he also has to consider his other job – the one he actually has to do. Working for a company whose name he can’t remember, for a woman he really doesn’t know, and in a building that’s falling apart, August struggles to remember which way is up, let alone who is who. None of this is helped by August’s obvious alcoholism. He can’t function without a drink – usually several – affecting his ability to concentrate, hold conversations or even dress properly.
Wolff’s writing is clever, engrossing and realistic, bringing life to characters that in other hands could have come of as one-dimensional. How to Betray Your Country is filled with great characters engaged in witty, authentic dialogue that pops at just the right time, but is also reflective and filled with melancholy. I look forward to the publication of the third title, wher I will no dount read all three back to back.
When 16-year-old Fiona is completely left out of her kid brother’sFull review available at If These Books Could Talk as part of the promotional tour.
When 16-year-old Fiona is completely left out of her kid brother’s birthday, it’s the proverbial last straw for her. Fed up of her family, and distant from her friends, she takes off for a new life. Assuming a new identity as Isabelle she ends up at a hostel for young women and slowly starts to build herself not only a new life but a new persona as well. But how much of her new identity will be risked by her old one? As she meets and forms relationships with a new group of people, Fiona comes to a stark realisation. To truly escape her old life she must fully envelop her new one. Soon Isabelle fully takes hold of her new life, although her new circle of friends may not be so new after all. As the mystery deepens and Fiona’s old and new lives collide, it becomes clear that all is not quite as it seems – especially within Fiona’s head.
Samiksha is a very clever young writer. She has managed to encapsulate the teen psyche without it veering towards the stereotypical tropes that many adult writers rely upon. While Fiona’s initial ‘It’s not fair’ whine may come across as typical teen angst, it’s clear as the story progresses that there’s much more at play here. Samiksha utilises flashbacks well, and the narrative often drops back to her family, especially once her disappearance is reported to the police. These flashbacks give the reader clever little insights into the reality of the world Fiona believes she lives within. These clues tell us quite early on that Fiona may not be the neglected teen she leads us to believe.
The ideas are certainly there, but this is quite clearly written by a young author. With some tight editing, this could become an incredibly tight psychological drama. Although at times the narrative was tricky to navigate, Legal Crime shows the first steps of what could be a fantastic literary career....more
A new maths teacher, Adam Merkel, is found by a young bFor the full, in-depth review, as part of the promotional tour, visit If These Books Could Talk
A new maths teacher, Adam Merkel, is found by a young boy, Sal, with whom he had grown quite close. ‘Merkel the Turtle (as he was called by his students) has been brutally bound and set alight, left to scream in agony. When Sal alerts volunteer fireman Jake it sets in motion a chain of events that threaten to wreck the lives of many. Local teacher Nora, self-appointed friend of Merkel, makes it her mission to uncover the truth behind his murder while trying to protect the young boy at the centre of the mystery. As she unravels the information she is forced to re-evaluate her strained relationship with her father, a man she can not forgive for a terrible accident years earlier.
Young gives the three central characters (Sal, Nora and Jake) their own chapters through The Distant Dead and this really helps with getting under the skin of each one. All are set in the present day apart from Sal, who gives us an insight into the murder victim as well as his own demons. These demons mainly come in the form of his uncles Ezra and Gideon Prentiss who he has been placed to live with since the death of his mother Grace. Jake has always held a torch for Grace, but it never came to fruition, adding an extra element to the plot. Ezra and Gideon are truly hideous men, each manipulating Sal for their own ends. Young creates a feeling of ambiguity around the Prentiss brothers that makes you not only second-guess your own thoughts about their actions but also makes you read on to confirm or deny them.
Young creates tension perfectly throughout The Distant Dead. This is really where the novel shines. Stand-offs are executed perfectly, and various characters moments of loneliness, terror, rage and even violence never feel superfluous. Unfortunately, there are moments where the narrative veers off into factual territory – often in the middle of conversations or scenes setting- and this felt jarring. While the factual nuggets were interesting, they pulled me out of the narrative and towards the end of the novel I did find myself skipping them to progress the plot.
The Distant Dead is a haunting and tense thriller mystery depicting the shattered lives of small-town America and its issues with addiction. Not an easy read, it will leave you rooting for its young protagonist as he faces the injustices thrown at him
Loading...
