Kate (allfivehorizons) - Warwick, The United Kingdom (143 books)

Kate gave

to:

Blameless (Parasol Protectorate, #3)
by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author)

read in April, 2012

My rating:

I am still enjoying this series of supernatural happenings set in Victorian England (and in this case, Italy too). There is plenty of pretty dresses, passionate characters and humour so make the read enjoyable and swift. I am not sure I was quite as...more

Kate is currently reading:

Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
by Suzanne Collins

My rating:

Kate gave

to:

Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
by Suzanne Collins

read in May, 2012

My rating:

Kate gave

to:

The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
by Suzanne Collins

read in April, 2012

My rating:

Kate marked as to-read:

The Sisters Brothers
by Patrick deWitt

My rating:

Kate gave

to:

Saturday
by Ian McEwan

read in April, 2012

My rating:

I read this book upon the recommendation of a Stratford Waterstones employee and I am so grateful. I have enjoyed other McEwan novels and so I knew the tense read I was in for. Somehow, McEwan managed to write from the point of view of his confident...more

Kate gave

to:

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
by Michael Chabon

read in October, 2008

My rating:

After a slow start (which was down to me rather than the book), I fell into this world of comic-book writers, New York and beyond with such fervour, I was quite deflated when I finished the book. It helps that the subject matter appeals to my recent...more

Kate gave

to:

The Sealed Letter
by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author)

read in March, 2012

My rating:

The Sealed Letter was our latest book club pick for sew make believe. Our meeting to discuss it was on Wednesday and unfortunately I missed it due to an inopportune migraine which needed an early night to put in its place. I was quite disappointed to...more The Sealed Letter was our latest book club pick for sew make believe. Our meeting to discuss it was on Wednesday and unfortunately I missed it due to an inopportune migraine which needed an early night to put in its place. I was quite disappointed to miss out on discussing this book though, as I felt it might have garnered some differing standpoints. I must admit that having chosen the book based on a very quick look at the blurb, I was worried that I had picked another book with no redeeming characters; our club seems to have become quite adept at finding books whose characters are most unlikeable! And I am sure that some of those that read this book might well feel the same way but I found myself really rooting for and feeling for Fido.

Fido is a woman working tirelessly for her beloved Cause - the cause of women's liberation. She was quite different to the other ladies of the day. Her conduct, her dress and her hard work all set her apart and I admired her as a character. Certainly, she was prudish and naive but I found this to be in keeping with her position and her experience. SHe thought herself to be more enlightened that she really was, at least by modern measures. Her weak spot, though, was to be her downfall, namely her friend Helen.

Helen appears again in her life in a chance meeting and before Fido knows it, Helen has embroiled her in her extra-marital affair with a rather hapless and unpleasant army officer. From the start, Helen takes advantage of her friend and uses Fido's fondness to manipulate her. As the affair is discovered by Helen's older husband, the ensuring divorce case - based on a real case reported in the Times in 1864. The legal position of Helen was disastrous as she stood to lose everything including the custody of her daughters by her infidelity, if it could be proven.

I found myself rattling through this book like I was reading a gossip magazine only with the stakes for these characters so much beyond any shame that could be suffered today. I think the real-life basis made it all the more compelling and I was so sad for Fido in particular who seemed to go through the most heart-ache and disgrace, despite not being at the centre of the divorce.

One of my only criticisms was that what should have been a dramatic unveiling of the contents of the eponymous sealed letter and the revelation by Fido (it read like it was a revelation at least) related to what had been implied as being in the letter was dampened by the fact that I had already figured it out. In fact, it seemed the only explanation to me as to why Fido would tolerate Helen at all.

Our next book club will be discussing the very popular teen fiction The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins so hopefully we will have a good discussion about those books - or at least the first one - in May.(less)

Kate gave

to:

Private Peaceful
by Michael Morpurgo

read in March, 2012

My rating:

I read this book ready for my PGCE interview at the University of Warwick and I am so glad that I was asked to. I am embarrassed to say that this is the first Michael Morgurgo book that I have read and it certainly won't be the last. Set in the First...more

Kate is currently reading:

Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living
by Tsh Oxenreider

My rating:

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Kate gave to: Blameless (Parasol Protectorate, #3) by Gail Carriger (Goodreads Author) read in April, 2012	My rating:
I am still enjoying this series of supernatural happenings set in Victorian England (and in this case, Italy too). There is plenty of pretty dresses, passionate characters and humour so make the read enjoyable and swift. I am not sure I was quite as...more
21 hours, 13 min ago · see review
Kate is currently reading: Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3) by Suzanne Collins	My rating:
May 07, 2012 02:14pm
Kate gave to: Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2) by Suzanne Collins read in May, 2012	My rating:
May 07, 2012 02:12pm
Kate gave to: The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1) by Suzanne Collins read in April, 2012	My rating:
May 02, 2012 04:04pm
Kate marked as to-read: The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt	My rating:
Apr 13, 2012 02:46am
Kate gave to: Saturday by Ian McEwan read in April, 2012	My rating:
I read this book upon the recommendation of a Stratford Waterstones employee and I am so grateful. I have enjoyed other McEwan novels and so I knew the tense read I was in for. Somehow, McEwan managed to write from the point of view of his confident...more
Apr 13, 2012 02:33am · see review
Kate gave to: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon read in October, 2008	My rating:
After a slow start (which was down to me rather than the book), I fell into this world of comic-book writers, New York and beyond with such fervour, I was quite deflated when I finished the book. It helps that the subject matter appeals to my recent...more
Apr 04, 2012 01:53am · see review
Kate gave to: The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author) read in March, 2012	My rating:
The Sealed Letter was our latest book club pick for sew make believe. Our meeting to discuss it was on Wednesday and unfortunately I missed it due to an inopportune migraine which needed an early night to put in its place. I was quite disappointed to...more
Mar 25, 2012 08:50am · see review
Kate gave to: Private Peaceful by Michael Morpurgo read in March, 2012	My rating:
I read this book ready for my PGCE interview at the University of Warwick and I am so glad that I was asked to. I am embarrassed to say that this is the first Michael Morgurgo book that I have read and it certainly won't be the last. Set in the First...more
Mar 14, 2012 02:16pm · see review
Kate is currently reading: Organized Simplicity: The Clutter-Free Approach to Intentional Living by Tsh Oxenreider	My rating:
Feb 02, 2012 04:57am

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