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
Friday, 17 August 2012
Tuesday, 7 August 2012
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
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.
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
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
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