Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Yes, I have been reading but I have to admit that I have mostly been reading urban paranormal fiction (Patricia Briggs is doing a fun werewolf series right now) but now it is time to get back to the Award reading.

On the day Sarah and Little Bee meet, events take place that profoundly affect the lives of each woman. Two years later, when their paths meet again, the course of their lives is once again profoundly changed. At once heartbreaking and tender, their journey explores the immigration system in England, the impact of a global environment and what the lucky and strong owe to those less fortunate.

I love stories that make you ponder your life and really stop and think about what you would do in a similar situation. This is that kind of novel for me.

Alien captured on CCTV

I found this on the Laughing Squid blog and knowing how many SF geeks read this, couldn't resist.

My Revolutions: A Novel by Hari Kunzru

Warning! If you have read this author and loved him you may be disappointed because this is nothing like his other work (Well, his use of language is still superb but the plot, etc...is very different.)

Hari Kunzru explores the question of what happens to revolutionary characters after the revolution. In this page turning novel, college student Chris Carver joins the revolution in London which quickly turns terrorist causing him to leave behind his identity and create a new life for himself. Every page infuses fresh life into the often told story of 1960’s idealism and Chris’ need to change the world that abruptly erupts into violence and terrorism.

The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies

I feel like I have already read this story and I don't know why. I don't think I have read any of the author's other work and am wondering if he took one of his short stories and expanded it. I may never know but it did feel like a deja vu moment for me.

Having said that, it was a good book. Set in Wales during WWII, a camp is set up for prisoners-of-war. The main character has surrendered on behalf of his regiment and becomes the symbol for all of the frustration that the other prisoners feel about their captivity. A young girl falls in love with a English soldier who abandons her, proving once again that the Welsh cannot trust this closest of ally. The two form an unlikely friendship and issues such as loyalty to country, to family and to self are explored.

Gertrude Bell: Queen Of The Desert, Shaper Of Nations by Georgina Howell

I am reading currently reading Gertrude Bell: Queen Of The Desert, Shaper Of Nations by Georgina Howell. I want to be Gertrude when I grow up, except I don't really want to move to another country and lead an Islamic nation to become an independent and democratic nation. Known as the female "Lawrence of Arabia", Gertrude Bell was instrumental in the creation of Iraq. One of the most dynamic, accomplished women of her times (first woman to ever earn a first at Oxford) she was a true renaissance woman. She was in turn, a spy, archaeologist, poet, photographer, mountain climber and advisor to kings. It was due to her influence that Iraq enjoyed many years as a democratic state, an amazing accomplishment during a time when women were looked at as an decorative accessory instead of capable and intelligent people.

Outstanding and compelling biography. I highly recommended picking up a copy if you get a chance.

The Killing Jar by Nicola Monaghan

The Killing Jar is the story of a young girl, who grows up in house filled with drugs, violence and addiction. Her slow transformation from young girl who still believes in a different life, into the life of a psychotic addict is mesmerizing and disturbing. Perhaps the most effective element of this novel is her utter likability, even as she commits a series of increasingly violent crimes as she tries to escape the lifestyle.

On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan

Sometimes a book will trick you. You think it is a book about one thing and it turns out to be something completely different. This is one of those kind of books. I don't know exactly how to talk about it because talking too much about how profoundly it affected me will give away part of the ending. Anyway, this is a brilliant, beautifully written novel about the wedding night of two people in a time before sex was discussed, a time when innocence on the wedding night was expected. Lovely, lovely novel.

Kalooki Nights by Howard Jacobson

I must be in the wrong frame of mind to read this book because I am giving up. The way this book was described to me was as "a British Philip Roth" which is pretty accurate. Unfortunately, I don't usually like Roth (The Plot Against America was the exception). This also has blurbs on the cover that talk about how funny this book is. I have to say, at no point during the 3/4 of the book that I read did I titter, chuckle or laugh. One other person is reading this one so maybe they will be able to see something I didn't and if so, I will pick this up again but for now I think it is time to put this aside and work on something else.

The Rhythm Of The Road by Albyn Leah Hall

This is one of those books that I am going to have to sit on for a while to decide if I want to nominate it or not. Superbly written and full of twists and turns, it is an engrossing and thought provoking novel.

This is a very British, very modern, edgy tale of a young woman trying to escape from the grim reality of her life, only to find that ultimately she cannot escape. Jo, the daughter of a trucker, becomes obsessed with a young singer and her band. When her father disappears, her obsession spirals out of control and she finds herself becoming more and more desperate. Eventually her desperation leads her to drugs and violence.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

This is a wonderful gothic tale that reminds me of Wuthering Heights, Rebecca, Jane Eyre, etc... The main character is a reclusive woman who works in a bookstore owned by her father. Together they spend afternoons sitting in the bookshop reading (sounds lovely doesn't it). She prefers the classics, proper stories with proper endings. She also writes short biographies about obscure people. One of these biographies catches the attention of a famous modern author who is notorious for her changing stories about her life. She asks her to come and write the "real" story about her life. What follows is a story with twists and turns , insanity, twins, murder, betrayal and secrets.

Good stuff!

Old Filth by Jane Gardam

Old Filth is the story of Sir Edward Feathers, a lawyer, who as a young child was sent from Malaya to England to be raised properly. His father fading into the background, his school friend killed in the war and the death of his wife, have left Edward alone. After a certain number of losses Edward stops creating new connections.

What struck me about this novel is that everything in his life was designed to train him for the moment when he is alone and must carry on. Although on the surface this is a quiet novel where "not much happens", watching endless repetitions of loss resulted in this being one of the saddest books that I have read this year.