Petrina Binney's Blog, page 2
February 6, 2024
Book Review – Eve of Kilcargin by Susan M. Gaffney
Book Review – Eve of Kilcargin by Susan M. Gaffney
First published, 2023
1919 and Clara, an English war widow, is invited to go and stay with her wealthy aunt in Ireland. This is partly to help Clara through her grief, and partly to help her younger cousin, Eve, by giving her a stabilising adult influence beyond the parents who are bound to be too stuffy to understand a young woman’s difficulties. However, when Clara arrives in the Irish countryside, she finds that all is not as advertised. Her uncle is quite profoundly ill and is treated as a burden by near everyone in his household, her aunt still thinks herself fancy but the house is almost falling down, and her cousin is uninhibited, flighty and rather more attractive than Clara is really prepared to deal with.
What begins as an admiration laced with surprise, quickly becomes a questioning infatuation, but it can be hard to read the intentions of a free-spirited person. However, step by step, the cousins discover they have more in common that their family. Set at the beginning of the twentieth century─a tumultuous time in Ireland and, in fact, the world─the setting and the political history echoed the story in a very powerful way.
One fascinating fact about this book is that it was a lost novel, written by a young New Zealand woman and misplaced for some seventy years until the story was completed by her surviving great niece. A really important bit of New Zealand and queer literature. I’m so pleased I’ve read it.
January 30, 2024
Book Review – Foster by Danielle McCrory
Book Review – Foster: A Love Story by Danielle McCrory
First published, 2022
The story follows Skyler Seabrooke, an animal rescue worker who fosters various of the abandoned and injured animals she encounters during the course of her working day. Living alone in her childhood home, Skyler has the space, the time, and dedication to keep the animals safe and loved while they grow, gather their strength and wait for their forever homes. Of course, it breaks her heart when the pets have to leave her care, but their happiness and security is more important to her than anything else and, like any decent hero, Skyler has a troubled past and a decidedly murky future.
Because when Skyler brings home Athena, a sickly kitten the rescue centre vet doesn’t think has much hope of survival, she is determined to keep her alive─even if she has to keep her a secret. As Athena continues to grow, it becomes clear that she is not what she first appeared to be, and quickly, the line between right and wrong becomes decidedly blurry.
‘Skyler went back to the flashlight and panned it around the underside of the house. Where the hell did the gray one go? The smell of dank soil was getting overwhelming, and her knees were beginning to feel damp. Her arms prickled with gooseflesh in the cool air, and she wanted to get back out into the sunshine. But not without the gray one. “You can hide all you want, little guy, but I’m not leaving here without you,” she called into the darkness.
‘Skyler pivoted on her hands and knees, turning her body in a circle. She had almost made it back to her starting position when the flashlight picked up on something huddled in the corner─a small ball of gray fur. She crawled toward it, slow and steady, keeping her flashlight pointed straight ahead. She was five feet away when the gray ball turned to look at her, its eyes lighting up in the warm glow of the flashlight.
‘The gray kitten attempted to dart away, back into the darkness and away from Skyler. She lunged at it, landing face down in the mud with her arms outstretched. She turned her head to the side and took in a breath of air. Grains of bitter soil fell into her mouth and she spit them out, trying not to gag. She struggled to her knees and elbows, keeping her hands together. Little needles poked at her fingers, one managing to make it through the leather of her glove and then sinking into her thumb.’
4%, Chapter One, Foster: A Love Story by Danielle McCrory
Frankly, there were lots of scenes I wanted to quote, but I couldn’t without giving away some pivotal plot points. Fact is, I loved this story. The writing was powerful, with shades of Stephen King, and the voice was strong and fresh. Part horror book, part love story, it all slotted together perfectly for me. The characters were well-constructed. I really liked that the protagonist was not without flaws; that made her much more believable and, actually, likeable, for me. The baddies were very dangerous; proceed with caution, it is a horror and they deserve to be there. An awesome read.
January 16, 2024
Book Review – Absolutely Fabulous by Jennifer Saunders
Book Review – Absolutely Fabulous: The Scripts by Jennifer Saunders
First published, 1993
I was always asked to read aloud at school. I hated it. No matter what I did, whether I stared straight at the teacher in an effort to unsettle them, if I glared into the book or flipped the pages, clearly lost, if I glanced out of the window or searched for something in my bag, I was always, but always, asked to read to the class. I still get crazy-nervous reading in public. I know, I know, I’ll deal with it in therapy.
Anyway, one day, around the age of fourteen, one of my pals brought this book out during a quiet spell in a food tech class. I suppose we were meant to be working out recipe ideas for the next lesson. We picked spag bol or lasagne pretty consistently, so we had some free time, and suddenly this book. We all loved AbFab. We loved the characters, we loved the writing, we loved the cast, the story and everything about it. I don’t say we were all irresponsible, naughty, sweary teenage-types who saw ourselves reflected in Eddie and Patsy. I think most of us wanted to see ourselves that way, but we were still too young and rather too aware of consequences. Frankly, we were all Saffy. Nothing against Saffy. True, she was drably dressed and put-upon, but she was self-reliant, clever, and far more accomplished than she was given credit for (when we were fourteen). Everybody wanted to be Patsy.
One of the other girls asked me to read for Eddie, who had always been my favourite. It was the only time I have relished public speaking. As I recall, I was demoted to Narration of Stage Directions when I started giggling and couldn’t get to the end of a sentence. And here we are. Not quite thirty years later, and I’m reading it again, and laughing enough to generate looks from my dogs. These days, I own my rasp-laugh. I think that’s called growth.
January 6, 2024
Book Review – The Sad Bastard Cookbook by Zilla Novikov, Rachel A. Rosen and Marten Norr
Book Review – The Sad Bastard Cookbook: Food You Can Make So You Don’t Die by Zilla Novikov, Rachel A. Rosen and Marten Norr
First published, 2022
It’s a tricky time of year for a lot of people. It’s cold and dark and there are so many sniffles about; basically everyone I know has been fighting something over the last few weeks. I suspect we all know that we should make an effort to take care of ourselves, especially when we’re feeling low, but it’s not always that easy. This cookbook makes it easier. There are loads of ideas, carefully curated and conveyed in a genuinely compassionate manner (with occasional strong language, which I enjoyed), very easy-to-follow recipes that you can probably modify if you’re feeling a bit stronger, simple ingredients, and a great list of staples for the larder and fridge─none of which require specialist shops. There are also some awesome menu ideas to get you through the week.
There are four truly wonderful things about this book:
1) Most of the recipes involve very little prep. You’re not looking at hours of chopping or peeling, most of the ingredients are available in canned or frozen form.
2) It’s written with unrelenting kindness.
3) Almost everything in the book can be made vegan.
4) The book is free to download. You can find it on Amazon, all over Google, or order it direct from their website: http://www.nightbeatseu.ca
Take care, everyone.
January 5, 2024
Book Review – The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
Book Review – The Silent Companions by Laura Purcell
First published, 2017
Now, I love a gothic mystery. If there’s an asylum, I’ll read or watch until I can’t see straight. Throw in some supernatural stuff and I’ll be lost in it for days. I’ve found myself with a Netflix addiction largely because of The Haunting of Hill House and The Haunting of Bly Manor. I swear, it’s not just because of Victoria Pedretti.
And here’s the proof. The Silent Companions is amazing. I was hooked from the first page and read it in record time. I’ve taken a couple of days off just to sit with the story and, oh, but you’re in for a treat.
So, the story.
Elsie Bainbridge has always been practical. After the loss of their parents, Elsie has raised and doted on her brother Jolyon, and consolidated investment in their match factory by marrying Rupert Bainbridge. Rupert, being a decent enough sort holds some responsibility for his really quite irritating cousin, Sarah. So, Rupert, being a decent enough sort, drops down dead, leaving Elsie, newly married, pregnant, and widowed, with lots of time to spend with Sarah in Rupert’s country estate, which neither has seen before.
It’s not in great shape. The house comes with a small staff but, having had no Bainbridges to take care of for some years, none are exactly equipped to see to the needs of a lady. They don’t know to take dinner trays away. They don’t really deal with buttons and bustles as a matter of course. Some of them are lacking in manners and etiquette. The staff has, up to this point, done enough just keeping the building upright. But the fact remains, without her husband, and in a village that distrusts the family, Elsie is pretty much on her own. She has Sarah, but since all the Bainbridge estate has passed directly to the new widow, the cousin/hanger-on has yet to prove herself a blessing.
With little else to do, Elsie and Sarah explore their new surroundings, and they happen upon a sort of painted, wooden cutout of a person, with eyes that seem to follow one around the room. It is termed a ‘silent companion’, and there are others. Other secrets in the attic space. Other figures. Other words. A diary in two parts. A story of a mute girl and a visit from the King. There is an explanation for the vilagers’ hatred. But with a whole pile of corpses and Elsie in a hospital, when the truth becomes clear, will anyone be free to hear it?
A dark delight. For me, The Silent Companions brought to mind The Woman In Black, with a smidge of Fingersmith. I’m just waiting for the BBC to turn this into a series. It is begging to be filmed. I’ll accept a name check in the closing credits, thank you.
December 31, 2023
Book Review – Believe Me by Eddie Izzard
Believe Me: A Memoir of Love, Death, and Jazz Chickens by Eddie Izzard
First published, 2017
So I’ve just finished Believe Me by Suzy Eddie Izzard. I’m going to point out right from the get-go, at the time this book was printed, the name on the cover was simply Eddie Izzard, but I have more respect than to toss aside a person’s identity based on something so banal as what-was-printed-at-the-time. As such, I’m going to refer to the author as Suzy Eddie Izzard and let you know I’ve been a fan of hers for years.
Now, I picked up this book from Amazon but only realised it was second-hand when I started reading and found a startling array of crossings-out and corrections in green/peacock blue pen. The fact is, whoever owned this book before me is a thwarted proofreader; every instance of American spelling has been met with a green/blue pen and a correction to UK spelling, despite the fact that this book was first printed in the States. I know this because it’s printed right there on the fly-leaf.
With regard to the entire pages that were struck through by the previous reader, those had to do with football. I’m guessing – not a fan. Although the notes from the former owner were banal and unnecessary, they didn’t detract from this wonderful autobiography. If anything, the corrections put me in mind of seeing an old friend at a party – not a rave, something ritzy with canapés and an occasional velouté – and the whole time the friend is trying to talk to you, the partner, who has only ever existed as a name in a Christmas card, jumps in to make mewling noises and add tiny details that nobody cares about. Which I suppose means that, though we’ve never met, I think of Suzy Eddie Izzard as a friend.
Obviously, I felt an enormous sense of joy when the corrector mistakenly stated that The Big Bang was “factless”, that Ian Holm wasn’t in Lord Of The Rings but rather The Hobbit, and switched a correct ‘was’ to a very wrong ‘were’. I know I’m being petty, so I’d read an unadulterated copy if I were you.
Anyway, let’s get back to the book. I’ve said before that it’s rare I get to the point of tears while reading. If I find myself getting close, I just hold the book a little way away from me so I can’t chance seeing the words that shook me and look out the window, and stare at the fence until I can get a hold of myself. I was staring at a squirrel on the fence so intently by the end of chapter one that I’m surprised it didn’t catch fire.
The writing style was gentle and conversational, with plenty of footnotes, but my greatest takeaway from this remarkable and heartfelt memoir is that sometimes you need to borrow confidence from your future self in order to get from where you are to where you’re going. I’m going to try and remember that. And if you’re going to write in books─don’t.
December 29, 2023
Book Review – The Wicker Man Preservation Society by David F. Porteous
Book Review – The Wicker Man Preservation Society by David F. Porteous
First published, 2021
“Seventy years ago, no one would have recognised local charm as a valuable commodity; they’d have mislabelled it as grim poverty and polio.”
Chapter One, The Wicker Man Preservation Society by David F. Porteous
And once again, I wish there were more than five stars because this book is incredible. Set in the Western Isles, the story follows Eleanor, a very-nearly sixteen year old girl who has never known anything beyond the small hotel and tearoom she helps her mother to run. But since her early childhood, Eleanor has known she is the acolyte, entrusted with a sacred duty to select the next sacrifice and to watch him burn. Also, if she could take his name and have his baby, that would be perfect.
“The island of Ensay is home to four-hundred-and-seven people, and I know all of them. I know their faces and their names. I know them by the way they speak. I even know how they like their tea.
“My mum says that the island is like a family. That there is no place on the mainland where everyone knows everyone else. And sometimes I wonder what it would be like to make it through a day without being asked—
“‘Eleanor, my flower, how are you?’
“‘I’m very well, thank you, Missus Macleod,’ I reply, hoping that this will be enough, knowing that it never is.
“‘And how,’ Mrs. Macleod asks, ‘is your condition?’ Her eyes are watery. Her hand touches my elbow as I lean down to put the tray on the table. The cups rattle.
“‘The same as always, Missus Macleod,’ I say — because it’s true. ‘It’s very kind of you to enquire.’
“She pats me, like you might pat an old dog, and I move the teapot, the strainer, the cups, the matching milk jug, and the sugar bowl from the tray to the table.
“‘You’re a good hand to your mother,’ says Mrs. Arbuthnot. This is high praise from a mother of five daughters who all grew up and left the island to live in foreign places — Glasgow and Birmingham, and one as far as London. Nevertheless, it is praise that could also be won by a spaniel that’s learned to fetch its own lead.”
Chapter One, The Wicker Man Preservation Society by David F. Porteous
I loved the juxtaposition of hospitality and the tourism industry set against intrigue, suspense and impending human sacrifice. I highlighted something on nearly every page. I laughed like there was something wrong with me. I was moved to tears more than once. I have found a new favourite writer, so brace yourselves for a lot of David F. Porteous in this blog. Awesome. A truly terrific read.
December 19, 2023
Book Review – Escape by Iain Rob Wright
Book Review – Escape by Iain Rob Wright
First published, 2019
And I’ve been gone for way too long. What to tell you? Well, aside from an awesome writing retreat in Scotland during September (seriously, any time you get to spend with Anstey Harris is time well spent), 2023 has been a bit of a nightmare for me. Of the hiccuping disaster type. No sooner do you think it’s done with, it comes back to kick your arse, that kind of year. So I really haven’t had the time that this blog and you readers deserve. I will strive to do better in the coming year and that starts now because, again, adios 2023, you’ve been real, into the bin with you.
I really like Iain Rob Wright. He writes very compelling, often flawed, characters so well. His dialogue is on point and his horror ticks all the boxes. I have noticed that many of his characters roll their eyes with alarming regularity but actually, I think that adds to the charm of his stories.
So, Escape. Escape is set in that most-appalling of all settings: the team building exercise for a group of work colleagues. I know there are worse things in life and they’ve all happened, but team building with workmates feels, to me, rather like having to respond to the words, ‘So, tell us a little about yourself.’ All I can do is shake my head and plot my intrepid journey to the nearest exit and out to freedom and, if possible, a donut.
But, all is not as it seems. For indeed, this team building exercise is an escape room. A friend of mine had an escape room for her hen do. I missed it. Traffic. As such, my experience is limited, but this particular escape room is a series of shipping containers, buried underground. And as the story unfolds, it becomes clear that the members of the team have more than a few secrets, some of them deadly, all of them dangerous, and when the clock reaches zero, there’s no guarantee the doors will open.
I really enjoyed this story. There are some difficult subjects covered and some very grisly moments─I had to look away from the text at one point to blink the image away─but Iain Rob Wright is so good at this genre of fiction. If you enjoy horror, you should be reading him.
August 14, 2023
Book Review – The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
Book Review – The Smallest Man by Frances Quinn
First published, 2020
The story follows Nat Davy, a little person from humble circumstances during the reign of Charles I. Separated from the family home, and the perennially disappointed eye of his discontented father, ten-year-old Nat finds himself in London awaiting presentation to new, teenage Queen of England, Henrietta Maria of France, as her court dwarf. As a gift from the Duke of Buckingham, Nat is believed to be someone the Queen can dress up, and who will doubtless entertain her, which will surely bring some comfort given that her new husband barely speaks a word to her.
As the years pass and his friendship with the Queen grows, Nat does not merely have a front seat as history unfolds, he is part of it. As Charles I loses any influence he might have had over parliament, Nat fights for the Royalists in the Civil War and, though he is obliged to flee to France with the Queen, the fight is hardly over.
I absolutely loved the way King Charles was described: as a supremely confident man who thinks himself more intelligent than anyone with whom he comes into contact while, in truth, being quite alarmingly lacking in intellect and common sense. I think it was that which struck me the hardest in this work; human frailties are thoroughly explored with such tenderness that even the stupid king who considers himself a political giant is not a figure of fun, but neither is he to be pitied. Like everybody else, he’s human and therefore, flawed.
I’m not going to go throwing spoilers about. Oh, you might think to yourself, surely everyone knows what happened to Charles I, and don’t I remember the new King saying for years that, upon ascending the throne, it was his intention to call himself George─until, of course, he didn’t─and wasn’t the reason something to do with the history of the first Charles? Perhaps your memory is as floral and kaleidoscopic as mine. In any case, whether you know what happened to Charles I or no, the immersive nature of this novel is such that, even if you know what’s coming, it’ll still give you a good shake.
The writing is intricate but clear, the narrative voice is powerful, and the story is utterly compelling. I really loved Nat and have little doubt, now that I’ve finished the book, I’m really going to miss him.
A must read.
August 5, 2023
Book Review – The Elemental Stone, A Mortaran Novel by Madelaine Taylor
Book Review – The Elemental Stone, A Mortaran Novel by Madelaine Taylor
First published, 2020
In The Elemental Stone, we follow the exciting journey of a young girl as she travels from her quiet homestead to the big city in search of justice for a terrible wrong, for which her family may have to pay the price. Picking up friends and allies along the way, Lana is not any farm girl. She has a deep connection to nature and a kindness and purity of spirit that makes for a tremendously memorable character.
I’m not going to spoil the story for you, but I really enjoyed the characters. If you’ve read many of my reviews before, you’ll know I really don’t like a heavy-handed accent. I don’t need every vowel sounded out for me and phonetic spelling slows me right down, which irks me no end. The wonder with Ms Taylor’s writing is that I could hear the characters’ voices─north of England and Scottish─without being bashed over the head with it. The writing was concise and the story very satisfying. With the key elements of nature, fantasy, and a long, perilous journey, it’s very tempting to liken the story to J R R Tolkien, and I know other reviewers have done just that. Definitely one to read.
