56: The BFG, Roald Dahl

Date Finished: 08/10/2012

My Rating: 4/5

There is something really magical about Roald Dahl books, and I’m not sure if it’s because I enjoyed them so much as a child, or whether I would love them even if I was reading them for the first time as an adult. They’re funny, ridiculous, a little bit sad in places, have characters to hate and fear and characters to love.

There’s not much to say about the BFG, as I would be surprised if anyone didn’t know the story already… a Big Friendly Giant who takes a little girl from an orphanage because she sees him blowing dreams into someone’s bedroom window, 9 other 54 foot human bean guzzling giants, the Queen, the army and a bear pit.

So, who should read this book? Everyone!

Next book: A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth

57: Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome

Date Finished: 04/10/2012

My Rating: 5/5

I have made absolutely no secret that I really enjoy kids books, and it has been an absolute pleasure to have the excuse to read some of them either for the first time, as is the case with Swallows and Amazons, or for the hundredth time, as will be the case when I get to Anne of Green Gables.

I cannot believe that I had never read Swallows as a child. I actually feel like I missed out on something, as it truly is a magical book. Ransome has captured exactly how the imagination works, and how exciting and fun it can be to play make-believe. In fact, it made me at almost 33 years old, just want to go and play.

It is the story of four siblings, John, Susan, Titty (yes, you read that right) and Roger who are on holiday with their mother and baby sister and have asked permission to camp on a small island in the middle of the lake. They receive a telegram from their dad, who is on a Navy ship somewhere, and so set sail the next morning, and the rest of the book is about the adventures that they have. John, as the eldest, is the captain of the ship Swallow, with Susan as the mate, Titty as able-seaman and Roger is the ship's boy.

This isn't fantasy… the adventures don't really happen in the strictest sense, but with their imaginations they have the most wonderful time. Pitching their tents as explorers, conversing with natives and savages, at war with the Amazon pirates, joining forces against retired pirate Captain Flint. It is exciting and innocent and all those wonderful things about childhood that we sometimes forget nowadays in the midst of videogames and the fear of letting your children out of your sight.

Swallows and Amazons has placed itself firmly as one of my all-time favourite books. It made me so happy when I was reading, and I was really sorry when it came to an end. Not because it has a sad ending, but I was reminded of the feeling I got as a kid at having to go home at the end of a holiday, or of going back to school after the summer break. I just wanted more fun, and the subsequent books have definitely gone on my 'must-read' books for when I have finished this challenge.

So, who should read this book? Well, this is another great book for girls and boys of all ages. If you have, or ever have had, a sense of adventure, then put some time aside and pick this book up. It's really beautiful.

Next book: The BFG, Roald Dahl

58: Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

Date Finished: 25/09/2012
My Rating: 4.5/5

An entirely gorgeous book. If you've never read Black Beauty, then shame on you. Written in the first person (or perhaps the first horse, I'm not sure of the terminology when animals are concerned), Black Beauty tells the life story of a horse. Beginning in the field with his mother, this book covers the training that allows Beauty to become the trusted, well-mannered horse later in the book. It tells of how his first owners looked after him and his horsey friends well, and how the horses therefore respected their owners.

It then shows the differences between stables, owners, types of work. It is a lesson in treating all animals (and each other) well, as any nasty character is abusive and/or drunk. There is something in there about social standing, politics and religion. Sewell writes with such compassion for the good characters in her book that you can't help but find yourself completely absorbed in the story.

There are bits that will make you laugh and bits that will make you cry. Black Beauty is, I think, one of my all time favourite books.

So, who should read this book? Girls and boys of all ages should read this book, that's who. Anyone who loves (or even just likes) animals. Anyone whoever pretended to be a horse and galloped around the garden or up and down the street. It's just lovely.

Next book: Swallows and Amazons, Arthur Ransome

59: Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

Date Finished: 21/09/2012
My Rating: 4/5

I tell you what, fellow bookworm, reading a kids' book after Crime and Punishment was really lovely, and especially one that is as much fun as Artemis Fowl.

Artemis is a 12-year-old evil genius, who embarks on a mission to steal some fairy gold, holding a LEPrecon (see what he did there?) officer hostage in the process and almost waging a war on the little people. It was a real pleasure to read, well written, pretty exciting... like an action film for children in a readable format I guess.

I loved the humour... that rare balance of writing something that children will love, but adults will enjoy for a subtly different reason. I enjoyed the descriptions of life underground, the small side-steps from reality that make science fiction and fantasy so enjoyable, as opposed to completely unbelievable. The characters, both human and otherwise, were well developed and you even saw a slightly more humane side of young Artemis towards the end.

So, who should read this book? Well, young boys will love it I think. Most of the children's books on the list seem to appeal more to girls than boys, but this would probably bridge the gap. There's a strong female character (albeit a fairy), but that would be nice for the tomboys amongst us.

Next book: Black Beauty, Anna Sewell

60: Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Date Finished: 14/09/2012
My Rating: 3/5

Crime and Punishment, as it's title suggests, isn't exactly a barrel of laughs. As such I tried really hard to have it finished before we went on our honeymoon, but I was just too busy, so it came with us!

It is the story of a young Russian man, Raskolnikov, who, quite frankly, has some mental health issues. He plans and carries out the murder of an old pawn broker, thinking that he can commit his crime without feeling guilty and without being discovered. Don't worry, I haven't spoilt the story... this happens fairly early on.

The rest of the book demonstrates the subsequent turmoil he finds himself in. Paranoid to the point that it makes him ill, Dostoyevsky very neatly tells a detective tale from the viewpoint of the perpetrator. It is dark, has a social sub-plot, and due to the translation (and age of the story I guess), Crime and Punishment is quite a hard book to get through. However it is actually worth it. It is beautifully written, and the character's are colourful and well developed throughout the book.

It does have some ridiculous bits in it, like women fainting because they hear some bad news, but that's a common theme throughout a lot of old novels, and we've moved on from that.

So, who should read this book? This is one for people who like to get really involved with a gritty story and who don't mind a challenge. If this is you, there's a good chance that you'll appreciate Crime and Punishment.

Next book: Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer

61: Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Blackman

Date Finished: 10/08/2012
My Rating: 4.5/5

I have previously read quite a few of the books on this list and at least heard of most of the rest, but not so with Noughts and Crosses. I had no idea what it was going to be about, when it was written, or what style it would likely be in.

I will also hold my hand up and say that I judged this book by its cover, and had an inkling that I wouldn't like it. But, true to the saying (and appropriate considering the subject matter of this novel), you really should never judge a book by its cover, because I LOVED it! Exciting, intriguing, and I just couldn't put it down.

The premise of the story isn't entirely original, two groups of people struggling in a world of prejudice. On the priviledged side are the all-powerful 'Crosses' and the other are the suppressed 'Noughts', who had been slaves to the ruling class. There's also something of a love story throughout the book between the children of the two central families, obviously one a Cross and the other a Nought.

There are some really poignant moments amongst a story that has a clear social message, tackling such important issues as racism. The friendship and subsequent romance of Sephy and Callum leads them into inevitable danger.

So, who should read this book? I think Noughts and Crosses has something for everyone. The romance part of the book isn't so important that it would put guys off reading it, it's pretty gripping and exciting and the moral element is enough to make anyone sit down and think about not just how far we've come as a society, but how far we still have to go. An excellent read.

Next Book: Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky

62: Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden

Date Finished: 04/08/2012
My Rating: 4/5

I was expecting to like this book. I went to see Memoirs of a Geisha at the cinema when it came out at the cinema several years ago. In fact, it was my first UK lone cinema trip, and I remember feeling really self-conscious about being on my own. That is, until about a minute and a half into it, when I completely forgot I was in a cinema at all and was transported to the Geisha world. The second reason that I thought I would like the book is that a friend of mine at work who I have similar taste to when it comes to novels had read it recently, loved it and said that she couldn't put it down. I was slightly surprised by this, as it didn't seem to be the kind of book that ended each chapter on such a cliff-hanger that you just had to keep reading. She was right though, and once I started I also found it difficult to put down.

This is an incredibly well written book. Golden really takes you on the journey with Sayuri, the central character. It's not just the story that makes this book intriguing, however, but the insight into a culture that is so different to anything I have known myself. At times tender and thoughtful, other parts of Memoirs are sad and there are some bits that will make you laugh. He tackles each of the obstacles that Sayuri has to overcome with genuine understanding of that world.

Essentially, Memoirs is a love story. But really, it is so much more than that.

So, who should read this book? Well, if you like love stories you should. If you like learning about other cultures you should. If you like well-written stories you should. If you like good characters in your books you should. This is now in my all-time favourite books, so, actually I think everyone should take a chance and read it! If you're disappointed, you should let me know why. And I will then mock you for having no soul.

Next Book: Noughts and Crosses, Malorie Blackman

63: A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

Date Finished: 26/07/2012
My Rating: 1/5

I have read a few Dickens' novels before, and quite enjoyed them. Generally, I have to force myself to stick with them for the first few chapters, but once the story gets going and you get used to the language that is used they get pretty good. Not so with Two Cities. I kept expecting the story to come together and it just didn't. I also thought that it might be quite interesting in terms of learning a little about the French revolution, but I didn't even really get that out of it.

I'm afraid to say that Two Cities went over my head. I can't even remember much about the story (I'm writing this some 7 weeks after I finished it). It had something to do with London. And France. And the Guillotine.

So, who should read this book? Not me, and that's for sure! I chatted to a colleague at work when I was reading Two Cities. He is a big Dickens fan and was really surprised when I said that I wasn't enjoying it as he loved it, so I'm guessing that this is one for the fans.

Next book: Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden

64: The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough

Date Finished: 04/07/2012
My Rating: 4/5

The Thorn Birds is an exquisitely written book. It says somewhere on the cover of my copy that it is Australia's Gone With The Wind, and I couldn't agree more. Strangely, the thing that struck me most was other people's reaction to it. This book, more than any other that I've read so far from this list, has stopped people in their tracks to tell me how much they had enjoyed reading it, accompanied with 'isn't it just lovely?' type statements. And they were all right, it is just lovely.

I found myself almost immediately drawn in to the central family, the Clearies, from the very first chapter, if not the very first page. From a hard life struggling to make ends meet in New Zealand, the whole family are transported to the Drogheda estate in Australia, a homestead belonging to Meggie Cleary's aunt. The story follows different members of the Cleary clan, although I think that Meggie is really the main character. The descriptions of the landscape are stunning and the tale of struggle, heartache and passion is one for any generation.

So, who should read this book? Anyone who enjoys a good romantic classic. I'm not talking Mills & Boon romance here, this is definitely not a trashy holiday romance book.

Next book: A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens

65: Mort, Terry Pratchett

Date Finished: 21/06/2012
My Rating: 3/5

I have to be honest, I am a little surprised that this is the highest ranking Pratchett book. Don't get me wrong, it's not my least favourite Discworld novel by any means. However, you will be able to tell from reading any of the other Pratchett review I have written that the Guards books are my favourites. Followed by the Witches. And then Death. Mort, unsurprisingly perhaps, is a Death book.

Full of the usual Pratchett observations, the reader is side-stepped into the Discworld where Death takes on an apprentice. Well, why not?! And so ensues a story of a human boy trying to understand that the universe expects certain things to happen at certain times, and that may be the death of an elderly witch, or a thief in the Lanes, or a young princess, and if any of these things that should happen don't  happen, then time tries to catch up with itself and sort out the imbalance of nature.

As Death takes a step back, ending up trying his (more than capable) hand out at fast food preparation, Mort takes on his responsibilities with Pratchett effect.

So, who should read this book. Pratchett fans. Not Pratchett fans. It's a nice, easy book to get through. Maybe good around Hallowe'en.

Next book: The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCullough

66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton

Date Finished: 12/06/2012
My Rating: 2.5/5

I was soooooooo excited to see this on the list. I loved the Magic Faraway Tree as a child, and in fact all Enid Blyton books, so being able to settle down with it was lovely. Until I started reading. Some of the children's literature on this list is simply brilliant, and enjoyable as much as an adult as it was as a child. However, re-reading the Magic Faraway Tree didn't make me as happy as I expected.

I can't even say why. Going into an enchanted forest, and climbing a big tree into a magical land (that changes each time you visit it) sounds like it would really float my boat. I think this is maybe just a bit too young even for this 32-year-old child.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't terrible. Just not as much fun as I remembered.

So, who should read this book? Well, six-year-olds. Or parents, reading it to four-year-olds.

Next book: Mort, Terry Pratchett.

67. The Magus, John Fowles

Date Finished: 07/06/2012
My Rating: 3.5/5

I found The Magus to be a book of two parts, one being the first four-fifths of the book, and the second part being the end.

I had no expectations or preconceptions whatsover about this one. I had never even heard of The Magus so, other than seeing how thick it was and how small the font was, I did not know whether I would enjoy it or not. I got sucked into it very quickly however. Fowles has created a story where you are never quite sure what is going on, and I don't mean that in any way as a criticism. It is deliciously confusing, full of twists and turns, and you are never sure at any point if any of the characters are who they say they are.

Fowles starts by introducing the main character, Nicholas Urfe, and the chain of events that bring him to the remote Greek island of Phraxos to teach. Once again, I found myself not particularly liking the main character in it. Urfe comes across as arrogant and smug. Anyway, this habit of mine of not liking characters has never stopped me liking a book, and this was no exception.

After stumbling upon an eccentric gentleman named Conchis, Urfe finds himself embroiled in a tangled web of illusion, trickery and mystery. Conchis as the puppet-master, neither Urfe nor the reader are ever entirely sure what the hell is going on, and John Fowles weaves his web so beautifully, with numerous references to classical literature, and stunning imagery to accompany the plot.

As I said in the introduction, I found this book to be of two parts. By the time it got to the final fifth I was getting quite fed up of not being able to believe in any of the peripheral characters. You have no idea if anyone is who they say they are, and the 'trial' at the end and its subsequent events made me feel really uncomfortable. Yes, by the end of this story, I was definitely more frustrated with this book than I was enjoying it. Despite this, it is definitely worth the read.

So, who should read this book? Well, some of the references would probably make more sense if you have had a better classifical education than I have, but that shouldn't stop anyone who hasn't from reading it. This is a book for people who like suspense, mystery and beautifully written prose, intriguing characters and a good twist. It certainly isn't lacking in those.

Next book: The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton

68: Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

Date Finished: 10/04/2012
My Rating: 4/5

Is this a match made in heaven? Terry Pratchett, author of the Discworld books that I obsessed over as a mid-late teen and still get completely absorbed in when I read them now, matched with Neil Gaiman, creator of the wonderful Sandman comics (sorry, I mean) graphic novels (I think), that I obsessed over as a late teen/ early 20s and still keep my copies in their dust jackets. Yes, yes, YES!

Actually, thinking about it, it is probably a match made in hell, but I was in heaven when I read this.

So, Good Omens. A story about what happens if there happens to be a comedy baby mix-up after the birth of the son of Satan, complete with angels from both sides, a hell hound, the four bikers of the apocalypse (and their hangers-on), a witch, and a witch-hunter. Oh, and some telesales people. With Gaiman and Pratchett in the saddle, the book is somewhat predictably laugh out loud funny, without it actually being predictable in any other sense. I say that with conviction, I have read and loved Good Omens at least 3 times now, and with each re-read I can't remember what happens. Maybe there is some magic in those pages that makes you forget what almost happened...

So, who should read this book? I hesitate to say geeks, but I am one, I should learn to embrace it, and therefore I'm saying geeks. But Pratchett/Gaiman fans should definitely read it, geek or not (I am assuming there are some non-geeky Pratchett/Gaiman fans around, although that in itself might be something of a dichotomy). Mind you, I would be very surprised if they haven't already. After all, it's been around for a while now. It's an easy book to read, so if you're looking for something entertaining but you have a tendency towards devil worship and a gothy view on life, give it a go too.

Next book: The Magus, John Fowles

69: Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

Date Finished: 30/03/2012
My Rating: 4/5

I don't think that it is particularly surprising that out of the four Discworld novels on the Big Read's Top 100, two of them are about the Watch. Guards! Guards! introduces the reader to the misfits that form the Night Watch. It strongly hints that the new recruit to the Watch, dwarf-raised, rule-abiding, Carrot comes from some kind of heroic background. It shows (the wonderful) Vimes as something of an alcoholic who is rather fed up with the current state of the Night Watch, and certainly sets the scene for his character's development over the remaining Watch novels.

And what more could you want from a book... it has a big, scary, scaly dragon. Summoned by magic and then uncontrollable once it had tasted that little bit of freedom. I'm sure there's a 'careful what you wish for' type message in there somewhere.

Like most Discworld books, I found it a very easy read. All of a sudden you've got through 40 pages, laughed through at least 38 of them, and forgotten that physics works differently in the real world. Everything moves along rapidly, the characters are colourful and intelligently written. Oh, did I mention that it's funny? I must have read Guards! Guards! at least 5 times before I read it for this challenge. I won't be surprised if I read it another 5 times once I've finished the Big Read.

So, who should read this book? If you haven't read any Discworld novels, why not start here? I love the Watch books, and as this is the first one, it seems an obvious place for me to recommend that you start. It's a million to one chance, but you might just like it...

Next book: Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

70: Lord of the Flies, William Golding

Date Finished: 17/03/2012
My Rating: 4.5 5/5

I don't know what I was expecting from this book. I remember hearing people talking about it and had in my head that I wasn't going to like it. But, my word, could I not put it down! Golding's first novel tells the story of a group of (fairly posh I think) schoolboys who survive a plane crash on an island. At first they try to instil some kind of order and routine, with the two natural leaders taking on different roles. However, what happens next is the result of fear, lack of discipline and not just a little bit of something akin to primitive savagery.

Lord of the Flies is a truely excellent read, disturbing in just the right way to make it incredibly intriguing, the characters were well developed and the descriptions of the island, the darkness and the loneliness were exquisite. When the boys were having fun (admittedly only at the beginning of the book) I laughed with them, but later in the story Golding managed to convey an atmosphere that had me feeling nervous and a little bit unsettled and I definitely cried at the sad bits.

I was so surprised by this book, and in such a good way. I originally gave it 4.5/5, but I've just bumped it up to 5. I think my main criteria for giving full marks is for a book that I could settle down on the sofa with a cup of tea and the dog curled up behind my knees, only to look up several hours later to find a full mug of cold tea and the dog pawing at the door because he needs a wee. This was that book.

So, who should read this book? Well, anyone who likes an intriguing tale of adventure, mixed with a little bit of horror, plenty of emotion and wonderful description.

Next book: Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett

71: Perfume, Patrick Süskind

Date Finished: 11/03/2012
My Rating: 3.5/5

A wonderfully dark and smelly tale of a character with a remarkably sensitive nose (thereby making this the second book containing important noses on the list... the other being Midnight's Children). Set in France (written in German, translated into English... it seemed an appropriate book to be reading on International Book Day), it told the story of Jean-Baptiste Grenouille, born behind a fish stall at the market in Paris and left to die. He was discovered after his feeble cry, whereupon his mother was arrested and later executed for child abuse. Grenouille is passed from pillar to post until he finds his unusual talent for creating scent put to good use for a master perfumier. He leaves Paris, spends several years in a cave in a mountain before rejoining civilisation.

So many of the books on this list have characters that I don't like in them, and this was no different. However, you were never supposed to like anyone I don't think. Grenouille makes the reader feel uncomfortable, and all the characters that come into contact with him neglected him, used him and took advantage of him in ways that meant that you couldn't like them either.

The book was beautifully written (well, beautifully translated at least!), with wonderful descriptions of smells and countryside, and thoughtful endings for the supporting characters. I say 'thoughtful'. I probably mean 'sticky'.

The events of Grenouille's life eventually lead him to murder, and from there he develops an obsession with finding a way to preserve the beautiful scent of young, virginal girls. The book is gripping, mysterious and quite unlike anything I have read before. I loved it.

So, who should read this book? Anyone who likes well researched, well written murder stories. It's not a mystery. You already know who dunnit.

Next book: Lord of the Flies, William Golding

72: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell

Date Finished: 29/02/2012
My Rating: 4/5

I am not sure that I will be able to write this review without giving some kind of social commentary of the current political state in the UK, and I rather think that I will have to write a review of two parts. One on the literary merits of the book, and one on the emotional merits of the book.

The story of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists centres around a group of working class men in the early 1900s. It describes their pitiful working conditions, lack of education, inability to understand how any change to the system could be brought about (in fact, for some, they didn't even want change), poor health and it also provides a strong argument for proper health and safety laws. It is, of course, politically driven, showing the disadvantages of capitalism compared to the advantages of socialism. Tressell also includes the wives and children of these workers, to illustrate how the poor conditions affected so many people.

I have read better written books. It is almost as if Tressell has over written the book in places, giving too much detail and repetition in order to get his political point across, perhaps making the book slightly too long. But boy does he get his point across, so maybe that can be excused. After all, Tressell was a skilled decorator by trade and not a writer. In his preface to the book, Tressell states that everything he wrote about was true: all the scenes and conversations included are based on situations that he had been involved in himself or had good evidence of.

I have found this review one of the most difficult to write. Perhaps because reading the book made me so angry in places, but not in a Ulysses way! I would read parts and think 'wow, we have come so far since those days - we have sick leave and paid holidays and we can't just get sacked because our employer has found somebody cheaper', and then I would start wondering to myself as to whether or not we really have come all that far after all. With the fear of unemployment during a recession biting at all our heels, do our government and employers have us by the short and curlies? Well, yes. Of course they do. It suits them well for those of us who are in jobs to be scared of what might be waiting for us if we leave... that way they can get us to agree to changes in terms without too much argument, just like in the Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. The main differences are that now, instead of debt to our local greengrocers for the essentials, we have debt to banks and credit cards, and instead of physically walking round to all the employers in town to ask if they have work starting, we do it by looking on the internet. Oh yeah, and instead of having work available in manufacturing and industry, the Tories did away with all that in the 80s. Shall I go on?

So, who should read this book? Basically anyone who thinks that there might be a better way of sorting out the problems of today. You never know, maybe we could start a revolution.

Next Book: Perfume, Peter Süskind

73: Night Watch, Terry Pratchett

Date Finished: 15/01/2012
My Rating: 4/5

It was so lovely to read a good Pratchett book again. Not that I have ever read a 'bad' Pratchett book, you understand. I just mean that I haven't read enough Pratchett books in the last 10 years. As a teenager I was a complete Discworld nut, and I'd sort of forgotten how easy I find them to read. Earlier in this Big Read challenge of mine, I read the first in the series, The Colour of Magic, but it was never one of my favourites - I think Pratchett hadn't quite settled into the style and flow that the later books, including Night Watch, have.

For anyone that has read any of the Discworld books before, you will be aware that they generally fall into categories, with stories focussing on the wizards, Death, the witches or, like Night Watch, the city watch, which is led by one of my literary heroes, Sam Vimes. However, this book wasn't about the city watch that we have already met, it was about the city watch that Vimes joined as a lad. At the start of the book, Vimes ends up in a scuffle with a baddie, falls through the somewhat magically charged library of the Unseen University, and ends up back in time. The rest of the book is about how Vimes takes charge of a city watch that includes his younger self, under the name of Sergeant-at-Arms John Keel. I loved how we met some of the familiar characters before they became the personalities we know from the other books: Dibbler, Nobby Nobbs, Reginald Shoe and Rosie Palm to name but a few.

I really enjoy how Pratchett can play around with time and physics and just blame it on 'quantum'. I like to think of myself as a science fiction fan, but I am very, very picky about it. My rule is that it has to be a mere side-step away from reality, and I find myself wanting to believe that the Discworld exists. The city of Ankh-Morpork seems too vibrant and colourful and, well, just too smelly not to exist somewhere.

So, who should read this book? It struck me while I was reading it that perhaps people who find Michael McIntyre funny would enjoy Pratchett. There's something about his observations of normal situations, that the reader has more than likely been in themselves, that makes them funny. For example, a room full of people don't notice an assassin in their midst because they are too busy concentrating on holding a glass of champagne and a plate in one hand whilst trying to eat cake with the other. I don't know about you, but I've definitely experienced that awkward claw hand feeling trying to hold too much in one hand just because I want to indulge in buffet food and can't find a table to make everything easier. The other great thing about the Discworld novels is that, although they are a series, the books stand alone. So anyone could read it. Mind you, if I were you, I would read all the city watch books in chronological order, one after the other. I doubt it would take all that long.

Next Book: The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell.

74: Matilda, Roald Dahl

Date finished: 10/01/2012
My rating: 4.5/5

The second Roald Dahl on the list, and I enjoyed Matilda slightly more than The Twits. I am trying to put my finger on exactly why, but I have to say that I'm not entirely sure. I think perhaps Matilda is aimed at an older age group (it certainly took me longer than expected to read - The Twits I could have read in a single bus journey), but that in itself is not reason enough as to why I enjoyed it more. I suspect it is more to do with a secret desire to have been so clever as a child that I could make things move with just the power of my eyes. Is that just me???

The magic of Dahl comes through again so clearly: the simple language he uses and the feeling that he is telling the story directly to you as the reader. I also love that he thinks that evil people must be ugly, but that ugly people needn't be evil. Furthermore, through re-reading Matilda I learnt what 'precocious' means, which I have spent my life thinking meant something quite different to what it actually does. You see, books for children can be educational even for us grown-ups.

So, who should read this book? Matilda, more than the other young kid's books on the list, would be good for someone who turns their noses up at re-reading the books from their youth. It's fun and sweet and the bully gets her comeuppance at the end. What's not to love? Good for children and grown-ups alike, I think.

Next book: Night Watch, Terry Pratchett

75: Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding

Date Finished: 04/01/2012
My Rating: 4/5

I think this was probably the 4th or 5th time that I've read Bridget Jones, and I have seen the film a bunch of times too. In fact, it was the first DVD I ever owned - I won it in a competition about 3 years before I had the means of watching it. I was excited about reading it again, and I knew that it would only take me a couple of days and that I would enjoy it.

The thing that surprised me this time, though, is how dated it seems now. The sentiments of the book and the self-doubt of Bridget are ageless and still relevant to today's world, but the part about being unable to set the video to record... I can imagine girls reading that now and thinking "can they not just watch it on iPlayer??". Also, facebook has been invented since this was written, and I can just imagine how obsessed Bridget would have been about that - checking Daniel's friend list, analysing all the comments made by any girl on his wall, and being annoyed because Mark Darcy wasn't even on there. I also suspect Bridget might be one of those girls that puts far too much information in her status updates about the dramas in her life. There is also a lack of mobile phones, and I can quite imagine Bridget wondering whether she should text Daniel, and how many kisses to put at the end. Oh, and the drunken text message sagas that would have ensued would have been brilliant!

All of that, however, just goes to show how far we've moved on in the last 16 years or so since it was first published, and the fact of the matter is that any girl who has ever got involved with someone she probably shouldn't, who has felt stuck in their job, or wondered if they were ever going to meet that special someone or has a hugely embarrassing mother will enjoy this book. Reading it this close to New Year just made me want to go out and buy a diary and write some New Year's Resolutions. I laughed loudly at many points of the book, often in public, and that, to me, is the sign of truly funny book. I think I'll dig out the DVD at the weekend and enjoy it with a glass of wine or two. Actually, I might just make that a bottle.

So, who should read this book? Any woman that has ever made outrageous, unachievable New Year's resolutions about weight loss and healthy living, obsessed about the wrong man or been shown up in public by their mother. It's definitely re-readable if you have read it before, and if you've only seen the film, I think the book offers a few more subtleties that make it even more endearing. It won't take you long, and you'll probably feel better about yourself after you've read it!

Next book: Matilda, Roald Dahl

76: The Secret History, Donna Tartt

Date Finished: 02/01/2011
My Rating: 3.5/5

I always seem to find it easier to write about books that I disliked than those that I enjoyed. I wonder if this is to do with me bitching to everyone I meet about how hard a book that I don't like is, so I have time to formulate my thoughts somewhat before bringing fingers to keyboard. The Secret History is an odd mix for me though. Whilst I thought it was brilliantly written, very engaging and quite an easy read, I once again didn't really like any of the characters in it. Mind you, I'm not entirely convinced that the reader is expected to be sympathetic.

The first sentence of the Prologue lets the reader know what to expect in the book, and I don't mind reproducing it here as it shouldn't be considered a spoiler:
"The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation".
The reader immediately knows, therefore, what is to happen to one of the main characters. Despite this (or in fact because of this), the 'scene setting' part of the story seemed to me to take slightly too long. I didn't find it by any means boring, just frustrating. I wanted to find out the whys and hows and whatnot faster than I could read.

I thought the characters were intriguing. Delicately crafted into personalities that you do come across occasionally, the type of people who think they are above you in some way because of something they do or something they have. In real life it's often due to wealth, and I think for Henry and Francis in the book this rings true, but for all of the characters it is because they are in this 'elite' group, separated from the rest of the student body by their choice of major and by their professor who does seem to nurture this opinion.

I was a little disappointed with the ending, although I'm not sure how else it could have been.

So, who should read this book? This is a pretty universal read I should say, and I think most people would enjoy it. It's not a mystery book. You know who dies and who kills them right from the start. What it is is an excellent story.

Next book: Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding