Maria Savva's Blog, page 5

Book review: The Tattooist of Auschwitz, by Heather Morris

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Much of this book is difficult to read because of the subject matter; everything being related took place at a very dark time in history. However, I found that the prose flowed in a way that carried the story forward and kept my interest throughout. I became engrossed in these characters' stories. The main character, Lale, a Jewish man, was assigned the role of tattooist—tattooing a number on the arms of all the people who were captured and taken to Auschwitz and Birkenau. Lale's role, although almost privileged (it bought him time, as he was of use to the SS who had captured him), was a double-edged sword; having to watch others being killed every day, and being treated differently, meant that he was always torn, left with the feeling that he was working for the SS against his own people. This aspect of his story was compelling. He risked his life by doing things to help his fellow captives, while working in his role as a tattooist. There were many times when he came very close to being killed.

What makes Lale's story compulsive is the fact that while being a captive in such horrendous circumstances, there was still enough hope and faith within him that he was able to fall in love and plan a future in such uncertain times. He fell in love with Gita, a woman he was tattooing, at first sight. Their romance blossomed over the years they were held at the camp, and it is a story that adds some light to this otherwise incredibly sad tale.

Lale's account of what was happening in the camp sheds light on the atrocious and inhumane treatment of innocent people at Auschwitz. Lale told the author, Heather Morris, that he wanted his story to be told in the hope that "It would never happen again". As well as showing the worst side of human nature, one of the things Lale's story highlights is that even where the unimaginable is happening, there will always be people who are willing to risk their lives for others, and they are the true heroes.




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Book review: The Truth Pixie, by Matt Haig

The Truth Pixie by Matt Haig

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a fun book for children, but it also contains some poignant words and an important message.

The books central character, The Truth Pixie, is cursed and can only tell the truth. For much of the book, this is seen as a negative, something that is spoiling the pixie's life. She loses all her friends and ends up alone, with only a mouse in her hair for company.

However, the curse actually works in her favour when she is captured by a giant. After her lucky escape, she finds herself in the home of a young girl, Aada. Aada is sad because of a few things that have happened to her family, and also because she will soon have to move home. She asks the pixie whether she will be okay. The Truth Pixie worries that if she tells Aada the whole truth, Aada will be even sadder. This leads to a wonderfully touching part of the book where The Truth Pixie manages to make Aada happy even though she only tells the truth.

There is a deep wisdom in this book, about taking the good with the bad. It's told in the form of delightful rhyming verse. It would make a lovely gift for any child.





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Book review: It's What He Would've Wanted, by Sean Hughes

It's What He Would've Wanted by Sean Hughes

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"It's What He Would've Wanted" is a dark comedy. I got the impression that this book was semi-autobiographical, the main character being very similar to the Sean we knew and loved from his stand up shows. The novel tells the story of Shea, whose father commits suicide. Shea finds his father's diaries and is inspired to look more deeply into his father's past to find out what could have led him to take his own life.

It's an intricate mystery, with lots of humour but also lots of introspective prose and darker parts to the tale. There are sections of the book where the author seems to be speaking directly to the reader, rather than narrating the characters' views; that reminded me of the segments in "Sean's Show" when Sean would take a few minutes to talk directly to the audience.

Although the book is quite dark, it's entertaining and thought-provoking. Much like Sean's stand-up comedy, this story vents certain frustrations about life and the human condition in an honest and open way.

If you were a fan of Sean's comedy, I would definitely recommend this book.



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Book review: There's a Walrus In My Bed!, by Ciara Flood

There's a Walrus in My Bed! by Ciara Flood

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've bought both of Ciara Flood's previous books for my nephew and nieces, and they absolutely love them, so I decided to buy this latest book for them as well. It's beautifully illustrated, as are all this author's books. The story is a lot of fun. It's a cleverly written story, and it was a hit with the children. If you're looking for a gift for a child, this book is perfect. I'd also recommend Ciara Flood's other books: Those Pesky Rabbits and The Perfect Picnic.







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Book review: The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath

The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I watched a documentary about Sylvia Plath's life last year and it made me curious to read this book. It was the only novel written by Plath, and she died about a month after its release. The documentary featured many people who had know Plath, and they all said that this book was written about real events and was more of an autobiography than a fiction novel.

There is a real feeling that the main character, Esther Greenwood, feels very uncomfortable and pigeonholed in the life that she leads. This book is the story about that character's struggle with mental illness, and many believe it's Sylvia Plath's own story of her battle with clinical depression, or bipolar. It's an intriguing insight into the types of facilities and 'cures' that were available for mental illness in the early part of the 20th Century.

Although this book does relate many examples of when Esther Greenwood was depressed or suicidal, and portrays her as disillusioned a lot of the time, I got the feeling that the voice of the author held a lot of hope for the future despite everything that had gone before. The way it is written, although dark, is not depressing. It contains a wealth of humour.

Worth reading.



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Book review: Out of the Darkness (Joe Cavelli, Paranormal PI Book 2), by Darcia Helle

Out of the Darkness by Darcia Helle

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


"Out of the Darkness" is the second book in a series. "Into the Light", the first book introduced us to Joe Cavelli who has an interesting talent, he's a private investigator who can communicate with ghosts. If you haven't read the first book, I would highly recommend it. It's memorable and one of my favourite Darcia Helle novels. Just like "Into the Light", "Out of the Darkness" contains a lot of humour as well as some thought-provoking literature. This is an author who digs deep into her characters and the way they behave, seemingly always looking for the reasons behind their actions.

In "Out of the Darkness" Joe is faced with a new mystery when he's contacted by the spirit of a man named Gus. Gus wants to know why he is stuck in a black void and wants to find a way out. Joe then begins to help Gus's spirit, trying to find out what happened to him. This does not seem to be a straightforward case and isn't easy to solve. There are many surprising twists and turns until the final satisfying conclusion.

There are elements of fantasy, mystery, and suspense in this novel. It is a complex story containing many intriguing characters, seamlessly woven into an attention-grabbing and entertaining work of fiction.



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Favourite reads of 2018

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine




My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eleanor-Olip...


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The Guest Cat



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Guest-Cat-Ta...


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I Hate (love) Brussels Sprouts



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brussels-Spr...

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Under



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Under-David-...

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WaR: Wizards and Robots



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/WaR-Wizards-...

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Stark Contrasts




My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Stark-Contra...

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What Does This Button Do?: An Autobiography



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/What-Does-Th...

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Unwed (Dovetail Cove, 1976)



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Unwed-Doveta...

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24 Stories: of Hope for Survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire




My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/24-Stories-S...

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Dark Flash 3



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dark-Flash-3...

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Whispers In The Tower



My review: https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whispers-Tow...

Book review: Dark Flash 3, by Maria Haskins

Dark Flash 3 by Maria Haskins

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I usually try to catch Maria Haskins' flash fiction when it's posted online or on the R.B. Wood podcast because I know it's always enjoyable. I did manage to catch quite a few of the stories from Dark Flash 1 & 2 when they were posted, but this year I somehow missed them all, so I was very happy to find that the 9 recent flash fiction stories she'd written for the podcast were available in this collection. I was eager to read it and it didn't disappoint. If you've ever read any of this author's fiction you'll know how brilliant it is. This collection of stories is quick to read, and the word that springs to mind for most of the stories is 'strange'. Strange in a thought-provoking, evocative, and intriguing sense.

There are shapeshifting wolves, dragons, and other strange other-worldly delights. Maria Haskins' talent is to take the ordinary and distort it to create something extraordinary. Stories that will definitely make you think. I enjoyed all the stories, but I think my favourite is "Sunlit Surface, Depths Below". That one is poignant and masterly in the way it uses imagery to express feelings and emotions.



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Book review: Stark Contrasts (Adam Stark #1), by Peter Carroll

Stark Contrasts by Peter Carroll

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I love this author's writing style, it's very easy to follow and makes for some compulsive reading. There is underlying dark humour as well as very insightful observations on human behaviour throughout the book.

The beginning of the book grabbed my attention immediately. This book is a page turner. I found myself caught up in the story, wanting to know what would happen next. There was a lot of action and many twists and turns.

The main story revolves around a series of murders where the serial killer seems to have a need to weed out those people in society who make the world a bad place. There are letters that the serial killer leaves with each of the victims' bodies explaining why they have been killed. The letters are a nice touch because they add extra intrigue to the plot.

The book is full of interesting and believable characters. It's very cleverly written and although it's a crime novel with plenty of murder and mayhem, there is no gratuitous violence. It's well written and absorbing.

This is the first book I've read by this author but I'm sure it won't be the last. If you're a fan of crime fiction, I'd highly recommend "Stark Contrasts".



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Book Review: 24 Stories: of Hope for Survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire - various authors

24 Stories: of Hope for Survivors of the Grenfell Tower Fire by Kathy Burke

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


This is a wonderful collection of 24 short stories (including a poem and a story written in the form of a comic strip) written on themes of community and hope. It was released to support the charity efforts to raise funds for survivors and the families of victims of the Grenfell fire.

I enjoyed all of the stories although some resonated with me more than others. There were four stand-out stories for me: The touching tale, "Shifa'", by Yasmina Floyer; "The Dish With The Dancing Cows", by Meera Syal, a poignant story which deals with the topics of bereavement and friendship; "The Dreamers", by John Niven, which is a fictional story based around the tragic Grenfell fire; and "Cannonball Ashtrays", by S.J. Thompson, which explores the subjects of homelessness and community/friendship.

Other stories I particularly liked were: "A Bridge", by Dan Rebellato, which is based on a true story; "Bad At Bay", by John Fidler, a humorous and thought-provoking story; "The Good Sandyman", an entertaining, insightful story by Mike Gayle; the reflective "33 RPM", by Mark McLaughlin; and "Oh, My Hopeless Wanderer", by Zoe Venditozzi, a touching story about an unlikely friendship.

The book starts with a foreword from Dr Dean Burnett explaining PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). The book contains a real mix of stories that all touch upon how people interact with each other in difficult times. Some of the stories do mention the Grenfell fire. There are insightful observations throughout, and on the whole it's an uplifting collection.

Definitely worth a read if you're a fan of short stories.







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