1.5 stars. The plot was a wee bit clever but the writing and characters were pretty average. Maybe it was better in the original French? This was reco1.5 stars. The plot was a wee bit clever but the writing and characters were pretty average. Maybe it was better in the original French? This was recommended by one of the staff at a local bookstore who compared it to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, but for me it didn't even come close to living up to that hype....more
A clever wee YA book that mixes text and photos to good effect. Some of my favourite books as a kid featured mysterious islands and I was quite taken A clever wee YA book that mixes text and photos to good effect. Some of my favourite books as a kid featured mysterious islands and I was quite taken with this book during the first half, as Jacob the teen hero (who I thought was a really well-written character) deciphering his grandfather's strange stories. I lost a fair amount of interest towards the end of the book but I reckon younger me would have remained hooked. ...more
Brilliant! Three years after changing the religious face of England in order to marry Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII has fallen out of love with his new wifeBrilliant! Three years after changing the religious face of England in order to marry Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII has fallen out of love with his new wife. Naturally he's already found his third Queen so all that remains is to offload wife number two. Thomas Cromwell - from whose perspective this story is told - has excellent form on wife rotation duties so sets to work to free Henry from the now-superfluous Anne.
I'm a sucker for Tudor history (gotta love an era that looks like it was produced by Aaron Spelling) so I knew the characters, although I only knew Cromwell as a shadowy henchman. This novel imagines his thoughts, motivations and humanity is a believable and thought-provoking way, although the narrative style took a bit of getting used to. A great read....more
My GR friend Richard was 100% correct - Stephen King brings his A game with this book. I've liked a few of King's books but often find the endings to My GR friend Richard was 100% correct - Stephen King brings his A game with this book. I've liked a few of King's books but often find the endings to be a letdown. Not the case with this one though! An epic novel, brilliantly imagined and executed from start to finish. I was hooked within the first hundred pages and barely put the book down over the weekend. Others have given far better reviews so I will limit myself to saying that, regardless of your genre-of-choice, if you like multi-layered stories with well developed characters, intricately imagined worlds, page-turning suspense and thoughtful analysis of some of life's big themes then you should check out this book. Also, you don't need to have any particular interest in or knowledge of the JFK assassination to enjoy the story (although the book has piqued this Kiwi's interest in reading up on the conspiracy theories). Bravo Mr King!!...more
Not bad! Salander's back and the new guy didn't ruin her. The continuation of the Millenium trilogy was an interesting read, although I found the firsNot bad! Salander's back and the new guy didn't ruin her. The continuation of the Millenium trilogy was an interesting read, although I found the first hundred or so pages a little slow. The writing style was a little different from Larsson's but the major characters stayed pretty true to the first three books. It didn't grip me like the first three books, but it was still an enjoyable read and I will definitely pick up the next book in the series....more
Brilliant! Adam and Kent Austin lost their sister when she was brutally murdered at age 16. Years later the brothers still live in their hometown: AdaBrilliant! Adam and Kent Austin lost their sister when she was brutally murdered at age 16. Years later the brothers still live in their hometown: Adam is a bail bondsman, Kent the high school football coach. When another teenage girl is murdered the ghosts of their past collide with a present day horror.
Great characters and a story full of twists make this a great book. The book came recommended by one of my favourite authors - Dennis Lehane - and it put me in mind of his sharp and gritty style....more
As a dog lover I've really enjoyed this series so far, but I am giving this book an "ok" rating. Chet the dog and his owner Bernie are PIs. The story As a dog lover I've really enjoyed this series so far, but I am giving this book an "ok" rating. Chet the dog and his owner Bernie are PIs. The story is narrated by Chet. I like the "dog's eye view" narration but it seemed a little stale in this book. Also the romance angle didn't really appeal and I got bored through the "relationship issues" bits of the book. That said I will still happily read the next book in this series (if there is one) as I've still really enjoyed the series overall. ...more
Loading...
