Theresa Smith's Blog, page 114

Books on the Screen: A couple of recommendations…

Just as I like losing myself in a book of historical fiction, I’m quite partial to historical adaptations, particularly for television. I like the depth and languish a TV series allows for bringing a novel to dramatic life, as opposed to the more condensed option of a movie. This summer, I have been watching a bit less than normal, but I still have a couple of weeks of holidays left so you never what I’ll cram in between now and then, particularly as the thermometer seems determined to burst from the searing temperatures we’ve been having out here in the North West of Queensland.

The Miniaturist (BBC)

Based on the novel by Jessie Burton

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A young woman moves to 17th century Amsterdam and hires a mysterious local miniaturist to furnish the dollhouse she received from her merchant husband as present, but the lifelike miniatures somehow start eerily foreshadowing her fate.

I haven’t yet read The Miniaturist, but my copy is currently on its way to me from Booktopia. What a gorgeous series this was, so beautiful with the costumes and the miniatures that were made for the doll house! I loved the story too, the drama and the emotion tied up in the mysterious ways of this family; it was all very well done. If the novel is at all like the television series, I can see this becoming a favourite of mine.

Vanity Fair (ITV)

Based on the novel by William Makepeace Thackeray

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Vanity Fair follows poverty-stricken Becky Sharp as she attempts to claw her way out of the dregs of society and to scale the heights of English society in the years following the defeat of Napoleon. Set against the Napoleonic Wars, Sharp strives to rise above her station with little regard for the consequences. In her efforts to advance herself, her manipulation, merriment, forbidden romances, fighting, and dancing catapults her into the court of King George IV while breaking hearts and losing fortunes along the way.

I am only a couple of episodes into this but what an absolute treat it is! The cast is very well placed and the atmosphere is sublime. The satire has translated perfectly onto the screen. There’s a little bit of a modern twist in the way each episode concludes with a contemporary song in tune with the theme of the episode. Purists may rebuke this but I quite like it. Becky really is a bit of a girl out of place within her time, I always thought. I’m thinking of reading this again for my classics challenge, all 900 pages! But it really will be worth it. I highly recommend this series, whether you’ve read Vanity Fair or not. It’s perfection!

Book Club for January

Welcome to a new year of Page by Page book club! Late last year I ran a poll in the Facebook group for book club, seeing if members preferred reading to set titles or choosing their own books to suit a bingo card. The results were pretty evenly split, so we’re going with both! Round one of bingo was last Saturday, round two is set for the 19th of January. You can find out more about bingo here.

Now, onto the set titles! Discussion will commence in the Page by Page Facebook group towards the end of January. If you’re not on Facebook, please feel free to revisit this post and share your reading thoughts in the comments section below.

How to Be Second Best by Jessica Dettman

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Australia

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A hilarious and heart-warming debut that captures the dramas, delights and delirium of modern parenting. This is Marian Keyes meets Allison Pearson, with a dash of Caitlin Moran.

Going from one child to two is never all that easy for a family, but when Emma’s husband simultaneously fathers a third child three doors up the street, things get very tricky, very fast.

No longer is it enough for Emma to be the best wife and mother – now she’s trying to be the best ex-wife, and the best part-time parent to her ex’s love child, and that’s before she even thinks about adding a new bloke to the mix.

Set in an upwardly mobile, ultra-competitive suburb, this is a funny, biting, heart-warming modern comedy that looks at the roles we play, how we compete, and what happens when we dare to strive for second-best.

Photos of You by Tammy Robinson

Published by Hachette Australia

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When Ava Green turns twenty-eight, she is told it will be her last birthday. The cancer she fought three years ago is back, and this time it’s going to beat her. But Ava is not going to let cancer define her last, precious months – she wants the wedding of her dreams. She doesn’t have a groom, she doesn’t have much money, and she definitely doesn’t have much time . . . but none of that matters. She’s going to go it alone.

As her friends and family rally to help deliver her dying wish for a party to end all parties, the media get involved and her story spreads around the country. But when photographer James Gable arrives, Ava’s plans are disrupted. Suddenly all the emotions she’d packed away are on her doorstep. Now she has to decide – is she is brave enough to let love in and strong enough to say goodbye?

*NZ Author

The Cottage at Rosella Cove by Sandie Docker

Published by Penguin Random House Australia

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Why had the house stayed empty so long? Why had it never been sold?

LOST

Nicole has left her city life for the sleepy town of Rosella Cove, renting the old cottage by the water. She plans to keep to herself – but when she uncovers a hidden box of wartime love letters, she realises she’s not the

first person living in this cottage to hide secrets and pain.

FOUND

Ivy’s quiet life in Rosella Cove is tainted by the events of World War II, with ramifications felt for many years to come. But one night a drifter appears and changes everything. Perhaps his is the soul she’s meant to save.

FORGOTTEN

Charlie is too afraid of his past to form any lasting ties in the cove. He knows he must make amends for his tragic deeds long ago, but he can’t do it alone. Maybe the new tenant in the cottage will help him fulfil a promise and find the redemption he isn’t sure he deserves.

Welcome to the cottage at Rosella Cove, where three damaged souls meet and have the chance to rewrite their futures.

The Truths And Triumphs of Grace Atherton by Anstey Harris

Published by Simon and Schuster Australia

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For fans of The Keeper of Lost Things, The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton is the story of a woman who has her heart broken, but then puts it back together again in the most uplifting and exquisite way.

Between the simple melody of running her violin shop and the full-blown orchestra of her romantic interludes in Paris with David, her devoted partner of eight years, Grace Atherton has always set her life to music.

Her world revolves entirely around David, for Grace’s own secrets have kept everyone else at bay. Until, suddenly and shockingly, one act tips Grace’s life upside down, and the music seems to stop.

It takes a vivacious old man and a straight-talking teenager to kickstart a new chapter for Grace. In the process, she learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, that no mistake is insurmountable, and that the quiet moments in life can be something to shout about.

*UK Author

New Release Book Review: The Cottage at Rosella Cove by Sandie Docker

The Cottage at Rosella Cove…
About the Book:

Why had the house stayed empty so long? Why had it never been sold?

LOST

Nicole has left her city life for the sleepy town of Rosella Cove, renting the old cottage by the water. She plans to keep to herself – but when she uncovers a hidden box of wartime love letters, she realises she’s not the first person living in this cottage to hide secrets and pain.

FOUND

Ivy’s quiet life in Rosella Cove is tainted by the events of World War II, with ramifications felt for many years to come. But one night a drifter appears and changes everything. Perhaps his is the soul she’s meant to save.

FORGOTTEN

Charlie is too afraid of his past to form any lasting ties in the cove. He knows he must make amends for his tragic deeds long ago, but he can’t do it alone. Maybe the new tenant in the cottage will help him fulfil a promise and find the redemption he isn’t sure he deserves.

Welcome to the cottage at Rosella Cove, where three damaged souls meet and have the chance to rewrite their futures.

My Thoughts:

‘As she scraped a small piece off she noticed something underneath. Not the plain old walls she’d uncovered in other parts of the cottage, but something patterned. She scraped another jagged strip off the wall. Yes. Beneath the flocked terror was another layer of wallpaper. Surely this constituted crimes against humanity.’

It seems I’m destined to award all of Sandie Docker’s novels with five stars. Her stories just seem to reach right out of the page to grab me, holding on tight until the very last word. There’s a warmth and humour infused that I’m beginning to recognise as trademark for Sandie, and she skilfully balances this out against the more heart-wrenching moments, of which there are plenty. Sandie seems to know just when to apply the pressure to her characters and when to release; it’s a gentle ebb and flow that takes you on a very special journey.

‘Nowhere. There was nowhere for her to go. No friends to go to. No money to take her anywhere. No choice. But she couldn’t stay there. She walked out into the night.’

Nicole is at the lowest point in her life when she arrives at Rosella Cove. She has been shredded by her relationship with her former fiancé, the insidious details of which unfold as her stay at the cottage progresses. In uncovering a box of letters written by the previous inhabitant, Ivy, Nicole begins to make sense of her own life within the context of Ivy’s story from the past. Charlie, the gruff old man who lives in the boat shed on the cottage property, provides the third point to this life affirming triangle.

‘She was happily having non-conversations with an irate hermit, and her most intimate relationship was with a mysterious woman who’d been dead for four decades. It was not exactly the life she’d imagined for herself, but here she was.’

Through its exploration of domestic violence, alcoholism, and the debilitating effects of loneliness, The Cottage at Rosella Cove is a deeply moving read, a joyful snapshot of human connection and the way people can save each other through kindness and empathy. Sandie has a deep understanding of contemporary social issues and she weaves these into her story with finesse. I highly recommend The Cottage at Rosella Cove.

Cover Reveal: Love Song by Sasha Wasley

I am thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal excitement for the most anticipated Aussie rural romance novel of 2019, from the acclaimed author of Dear Banjo and True Blue:

Love Song , Book 3 in the Daughters of the Outback series!

Even more exciting, Sasha Wasley has just sold the film rights to all three novels! I can’t wait until we get to see Willow, Free and Beth on the screen!

About Love Song:

When she agreed to tutor Charlie Campbell, falling in love was the last thing on her mind.

At 17, Beth Paterson had just lost her mother and was working hard to get in to university. She didn’t expect to lose her head over a boy – and she certainly didn’t expect him to vanish without even saying goodbye.

These days, Charlie is a big star on the alternative rock scene, while Beth is a respected doctor in her hometown. But her ordered life is thrown into turmoil when Charlie comes back to fight for the tiny community where he was raised. They can’t stop crossing paths any more than Beth can ignore the resurgence of that wild attraction they once shared.

However, Beth Paterson swore no man would ever screw her over again – least of all this man. She’s been protecting her heart since he left and she’s not about to let her guard down now.

I love this cover! And so does the author, here’s what Sasha has to say about it:

I love that the cover has gone back to the amazing red and blue spectrum of the Kimberley region. Beth is perfect – strong, solitary and sexy. And the best bit is the handwritten musical notes peeping through, reminding us that Charlie Campbell’s voice is always whispering in the back of Beth’s memory.

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Out June 4, 2019. Available now for pre-order from your favourite store as paperback or ebook. Published by Penguin Random House Australia.

Paperback:

• Amazon

• Booktopia

E-book links:

• Amazon Kindle

• iBooks

• Kobo

Book Review: Matryoshka by Katherine Johnson

Matryoshka…
About the Book:

When Sara Rose returns to live in her recently deceased grandmother’s Tasmanian cottage, her past and that of her mother and grandmother is ever-present. Sara’s grandmother, Nina Barsova, a Russian post-war immigrant, lovingly raised Sara in the cottage at the foot of Mt Wellington but without ever explaining why Sara’s own mother, Helena, abandoned her as a baby.

Sara, a geneticist, also longs to know the identity of her father, and Helena won’t tell her. Now, estranged not only from her mother, but also from her husband, Sara raises her daughter, Ellie, with a central wish to spare her the same feeling of abandonment that she experienced as a child.

When Sara meets an Afghani refugee separated from his beloved wife and family, she decides to try to repair relations with Helena – but when a lie told by her grandmother years before begins to unravel, a darker truth than she could ever imagine is revealed.

Matryoshka is a haunting and beautifully written story about the power of maternal love, and the danger of secrets passed down through generations.

My Thoughts:

‘There’s a Russian proverb that says The fall of a leaf is a whisper to the living. So, whisper to me, Nina, now that you are gone. Whisper to me. I need your guidance. Tell me a story that makes sense of it all so that I can put all the pieces of the nesting doll that you gave me back together and, one day, tell this story to Ellie, my daughter, your great-granddaughter. For isn’t that what we do in life? Tell ourselves stories? Then retell them at day’s end to our children and grandchildren, so that they will learn and pass down the version we want remembered? One day I will give Ellie the matryoshka, but not yet.’

I seem to be on a streak of reading beautifully touching novels. Matryoshka is a novel that really took me by surprise. It’s written in a way that I like to term ‘quiet’: quietly beautiful, quietly atmospheric, quietly powerful, and quietly unforgettable. This novel made me ache, so many times, for the loss and the love, the inter-generational connections, and the truth of human frailty.

‘I can feel the hand-spun shawl of my grandmother’s love around my shoulders. I want Ellie to feel that love wrapped around her like the layers of the matryoshka Nina gave to me. I want her to experience the same magical childhood that I enjoyed, bejewelled in natural treasures and spectacle.’

Tasmania provides a sublime backdrop for this story. Katherine Johnson has infused the natural world into her narrative with such elegance, wrapping every scene up in a veneer of atmosphere that is entirely unique to Tasmania. It’s clear that Katherine is not only familiar with the landscape of this area, but that she holds it dear and has the skill to convey this.

‘I picture the view from the summit when the mist clears: all the way to the wild southwest, still mysterious and, in parts, unchanged since the first white men – also immigrants of a kind – set their heavy feet here two centuries ago. There, if you walk off the track, you might be the first person of any origin to put your foot upon that exact square metre of earth, so wild and inaccessible are parts of this island.’

Sara is at a crossroads within her life. Beginning again on account of her husband leaving her, she’s also coming to terms with the loss of her beloved grandmother, the woman who raised her. She’s questioning things about herself, particularly with regard to her failed marriage. She wants to give her daughter a childhood similar to the one she had, but free of the notions of abandonment that Sara herself has carted around with her for her entire life. A chance discovery raises questions about her family history and the subsequent unveiling of the past has a dramatic effect on Sara’s life.

‘How many of Nina’s sayings do I have in my head, each of them just waiting to re-emerge when the time is right, so I don’t forget how to live?’

Sitting along side Sara’s personal story is another thread where parallels are drawn between refugees coming to our shores today and those that came here post WWII. Sara’s grandmother came to Australia from Russia, and her experiences closely align in some ways to the refugees Sara meets in her neighbourhood, but in other ways, there is a vast variance. I appreciated the gentle debate that unfolds throughout this story, intelligently informing, highlighting the complications and the compassions.

‘But, I realise, he is not calm. He is simply losing hope, losing his will, little by little being ground down by the process. This is the process, the deterrent to stop others from coming by boat. Stop the boats. Break those who are here. Have them tell their friends at home that they should not leave.’

Everyone has an opinion, and everyone believes in the validity of their views. I felt that Katherine Johnson conveyed so much with a distinct absence of hysteria, reinforcing the power of her presentation. Sara’s involvement with her new refugee friends leads her to a renewed focus on her research as a geneticist, particularly within the area of inherited trauma, a notion that is very personal to her given her family history.

‘The implications are profound. Not only do we inherit genetic changes that predispose us to certain diseases and characteristics, we also inherit our parents’ histories.’

Matryoshka ebbs and flows with pain and hope. As Sara builds her new life and carves out the foundations of a future for her child, some ghosts are laid to rest, some grievances are forgiven, and some mysteries are solved. Forgiveness and love underpin this story, flowing outwards from a beautifully intelligent narrative that will stay with you long after you turn the last page. Highly recommended.

‘Think about it. You actually owe it to your grandparents to enjoy your life. It was their gift to you.’

#BookBingo – Round 1

Round 1 and I thought I’d give myself a good headstart by reading and checking off two books for this challenge. With 30 squares, we have to double up a few times, so here’s my first double up:

Written by an Australian woman:

The Sweet Hills Of Florence by Jan Wallace Dickinson

Overall, The Sweet Hills Of Florence is a novel with great depth and regard for the history that inspired it. Jan Wallace Dickinson is an author who demonstrates a clear passion for her subject. Anyone with an interest in Italian history would do well to add this novel to their shelves.

Themes of Inequality:

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing is an exceptional novel. It’s deeply moving, an intricate examination of the connection between a person and the environment they are isolated within. Survival is the sun that all else orbits around. Not just Kya’s survival within the marshlands, but the way in which all humans strive to survive in the manner they see fit for themselves, no matter the cost to others. Betrayal, abandonment, rejection, prejudice – all just stepping stones to a greater existence for each individual. This is an intelligent and intuitive novel that I honestly can’t recommend highly enough. The themes are presently relevant and the content is about as thought provoking as you can get. The ending made me smile with satisfaction.

For 2019, I’m teaming up with Mrs B’s Book Reviews and The Book Muse for an even bigger, and more challenging book bingo. We’d love to have you join us. Every second Saturday throughout 2019, we’ll post our latest round. Feel free to join in at any stage, just pop the link to your bingo posts into the comments section of our bingo posts each fortnight so we can visit you. If you’re not a blogger, feel free to just write your book titles and thoughts on the books into the comments section each fortnight, and tag us on social media if you are playing along that way.

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#Book Bingo – Round 1

Round 1 and I thought I’d give myself a good headstart by reading and checking off two books for this challenge. With 30 squares, we have to double up a few times, so here’s my first double up:

Written by an Australian woman:

The Sweet Hills Of Florence by Jan Wallace Dickinson

Overall, The Sweet Hills Of Florence is a novel with great depth and regard for the history that inspired it. Jan Wallace Dickinson is an author who demonstrates a clear passion for her subject. Anyone with an interest in Italian history would do well to add this novel to their shelves.

Themes of Inequality:

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

Where the Crawdads Sing is an exceptional novel. It’s deeply moving, an intricate examination of the connection between a person and the environment they are isolated within. Survival is the sun that all else orbits around. Not just Kya’s survival within the marshlands, but the way in which all humans strive to survive in the manner they see fit for themselves, no matter the cost to others. Betrayal, abandonment, rejection, prejudice – all just stepping stones to a greater existence for each individual. This is an intelligent and intuitive novel that I honestly can’t recommend highly enough. The themes are presently relevant and the content is about as thought provoking as you can get. The ending made me smile with satisfaction.

For 2019, I’m teaming up with Mrs B’s Book Reviews and The Book Muse for an even bigger, and more challenging book bingo. We’d love to have you join us. Every second Saturday throughout 2019, we’ll post our latest round. Feel free to join in at any stage, just pop the link to your bingo posts into the comments section of our bingo posts each fortnight so we can visit you. If you’re not a blogger, feel free to just write your book titles and thoughts on the books into the comments section each fortnight, and tag us on social media if you are playing along that way.

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New Release Book Review: The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton by Anstey Harris

The Truths and Triumphs of Grace Atherton…
About the Book:

The most memorable moments of Grace Atherton’s life have always been remembered as though set to music. The simple melody of running her violin shop, and her love affair with David, with their wonderful interludes in Paris, which feels like there is a full-blown orchestra moving with her wherever she goes. And then, suddenly, silence.

David is revealed as not the man she thought he was. Shattered, Grace believes she will never recover.

But a vivacious old man who frequents her music shop, Mr Williams, and a peculiar teenager, Nadia, who works part-time for her, set about putting Grace back together again. Their efforts see the unlikely trio taking a spontaneous trip to Italy where Grace learns that she is not as alone in the world as she had once thought, and that no mistake is insurmountable.

My Thoughts:

‘The cello is one of the few instruments with the vocal range of a human.’

What a wonderful new release to start the year with!

‘The themes of art, of classical music, fly through my mind. Man against man. Man against nature. Man against himself. For each theme, I see a piece of my life fly away; I am flayed by the loss of my career, my children, my future.’

This novel sings with its gorgeous prose. Grace is a character I instantly warmed to. When we meet Grace she is in her late 30s, in love with a married man and living year to year on a shoestring promise that ‘their time will come when the children are grown’. She is an accomplished cellist and luthier, who owns her own shop repairing (and making) violins, violas and cellos. Grace’s extraordinary talent as a cellist was brought to a halt after only one year at the conservatory of music on account of an appalling abuse of power on the part of her quartet teacher. The impact this has on Grace’s life is profound, and more than twenty years later, she cannot play in front of anyone, only losing herself in her music when she is alone at home. I felt that Grace was leading only half a life, both professionally and personally. When her quiet existence is turned on its head, she is not at all equipped to deal with the upheaval, her reactions consequently making things worse for herself, compounding her inability to put together the broken pieces of her life. It’s sad, what happens to Grace, so much repressed pain brimming to the surface in one swift blow.

‘It dawns on me, like daybreak, that there are no winners in love affairs, however well meaning.’

This novel is built upon the foundations of music and the way this translates onto the page is sublime. I loved the imagery conjured up from the descriptions of Grace’s work as a luthier, particularly the sections pertaining to the baby cello she was creating, such a breathtakingly beautiful concept. There was so much love infused into the narrative, so much appreciation for the instruments themselves. It was almost as though each cello, each violin, and each viola was a living, breathing creation, endlessly growing and developing over time. It was just beautiful. And then there were the scenes where Grace would play her cello. It was almost as though you could hear the music lifting off the pages. The trio of Mr Williams, Nadia and Grace playing together was sublime, especially that scene in Italy when they inspired an impromptu street strings orchestra. It’s such a rare talent, to write about music in a way that lifts it from the page. Anstey Harris has this talent in spades.

‘All this wood is yet to stretch and wake. Each one of these instruments will improve over the years to come and, the thought dwarfs me, some of them will be being played hundreds of years from now. I feel part of something amazing.’

The Truths And Triumphs of Grace Atherton is a novel about losing yourself in order to find yourself. It’s about friendships in unlikely places with people who share your passions instead of your demographics. It’s about thwarted dreams and new beginnings. I really loved this novel, it’s filled with a beauty and depth that caught me completely by surprise. Highly recommended.

Book Review: Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon

Drums of Autumn…
About the Book:

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In this breathtaking novel, rich in history and adventure, #1 New York Times bestselling author Diana Gabaldon continues the story of Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser that started with the now-classic novel Outlander and continued in Dragonfly in Amber and Voyager. Once again spanning continents and centuries, Gabaldon has created a work of sheer brilliance.

What if you knew someone you loved was going to die? What if you thought you could save them? How much would you risk to try?

Claire Randall has gone to find Jamie Fraser, the man she loved more than life, and has left half her heart behind with their daughter, Brianna. Claire gave up Jamie to save Brianna, and now Bree has sent her mother back to the Scottish warrior who was willing to give his life to save them both. But a chilling discovery in the pages of history suggests that Jamie and Claire’s story doesn’t have a happy ending.

Brianna dares a terrifying leap into the unknown in search of her mother and the father she has never met, risking her own future to try to change history . . . and to save their lives. But as Brianna plunges into an uncharted wilderness, a heartbreaking encounter may strand her forever in the past . . . or root her in the place she should be, where her heart and soul belong.

My Thoughts:

First order of business for this review/ramble: I need to make a confession. Well, two actually.

1. This is the first Outlander novel I have read. Yes, I have deliberately begun reading the series at book 4. Like so many other people, I’ve been watching Outlander these last few years. So far, this current season has been my favourite by a long shot. This week’s episode left me hanging with despair, so instead of waiting until next week to see what happens, I went to my bookshelf instead. I did try to wrangle some spoilers out of a friend who had already read all of the books, but she would not oblige! I love spoilers! I know, it’s weird, but knowing what’s going to happen now for the rest of this season has ramped my anticipation for the next few episodes even higher.

2. This is probably a more serious confession than the one above. I almost don’t want to admit to this, but in the spirit of transparency, here goes. I scanned through the novel to find where the events for this week’s episode began and only read from that point on. So, about the last third of the novel. In my defence, I did recap on this week’s episode instead of just going straight to the next bit! Honestly, this whole season is still pretty fresh in my mind so it just seemed a bit over the top to read the whole thing when I’ve so recently been watching it. And it’s 1070 pages long. Seriously. The next episode might have already been available before I even got to that part.

With that out of the way, I can move on and tell you what I thought about my first Outlander read:

1. I am astonished at how much dialogue is lifted from the pages and included in the TV series. It seems to me, from that small overlap I read, that the TV series aligns quite closely to the novels it’s based upon, just condensed and reordered a bit to be more expedient.

2. Everyone smells. A lot. I do appreciate this historical authenticity, but I probably didn’t need to be reminded of it quite so often.

3. My impression of Brianna from the descriptions given throughout the novel is that she must almost suffer from gigantism. Each person she met seemed shocked at how big she was, how sturdy, how tall, how enormous. My imagination seemed to inflate her each time I read another line about her size and muscular attributes.

4. Claire annoyed me far less on the page than she does on the small screen, leading me to believe that it’s the actor I don’t like, not necessarily the character.

5. Jamie annoyed me a lot in this novel, when I don’t find him annoying in the least on the small screen. He’s kind of chauvinistic, to be honest. And a sulk. The actor improves upon this character immensely.

6. John Grey is even more delightful on the page than he is on screen, and that’s saying something because he’s always been a favourite of mine. So handsome! I agree with Brianna, I like the way he talks! Any ardent Outlander fans out there who can tell me if the John Grey series advertised in the back of my book is about this John Grey or it is just a weird character coincidence?

7. Everything takes a really long time, which I know is historically authentic, with people riding mules up mountains and crossing oceans in a sail boat and travelling in carriages, but again, my copy of Drums of Autumn was 1070 pages, not including the extract for the next novel tucked into the back of the book. That’s a long book, and there were times when the story seemed to inch along.

8. Ian is a wonderful character. I just love him to bits. His story panned out a little like I thought it would, but that’s a good thing!

9. I really enjoyed the homage paid to Frank Randall. He was not a bad guy, he had a lot of integrity and had done right by Claire and Brianna. Of course I expected Brianna to feel strongly about him, but it was a nice surprise to unearth appreciation within the others.

10. Laoghaire MacKenzie really is cracker nuts. I kind of love her though. And I really do feel deeply sorry for her, even more so for the little one left behind with her, abandoned now by two fathers.

11. Stealing land and trading with alcohol; you can really get a sense of the impending tragedy for America’s indigenous people within this novel. I liked the mysterious skull and opal storyline involving the Kanien’kehá:ka* people and Claire.

*referred to as Mohawk within the novel

I thought I’d style my review this way because there are literally millions of people who have already reviewed Drums of Autumn and there’s probably not much else I could add that may differ. Instead, I have gifted you with my thoughts, in all their rambling glory. Please feel free to return the favour and share yours below. Not just on this book, but even on the show and any of the preceding books. There’s nothing like a good Outlander chat!

Will I keep reading? I think I’ll read the next one, in its entirety, and then decide if I’ll keep on going from there.

New Release Film Review: Mary Poppins Returns

About the Film:

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Now an adult with three children, bank teller Michael Banks learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he can pay back a loan. His only hope is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares that his father left him years earlier. Just as all seems lost, Michael and his sister receive the surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins — the beloved nanny from their childhood — arrives to save the day and take the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure.

My Thoughts:

Mary Poppins Returns is absolutely glorious, uplifting and joyous, filled with nostalgic references to its predecessor while still maintaining its own presence. My daughter and I have been highly anticipating the release of this film, so we wasted no time at all in lining up on the first day of its release (out here) to see it. I have been a fan of the original Disney production of Mary Poppins all my life and its probably fair to say I brainwashed my daughter into loving it from an early age as well. We both enjoyed Mary Poppins Returns and both agree that Disney has done an excellent job at bringing this beloved story to life for a whole new generation of viewers. Is it over the top? Yes, but so was the original. And anyway, that’s kind of the whole point of Mary Poppins. She’s eccentric, it’s not meant to be realistic, and it’s a musical. All of those point clearly to a heavy sprinkling of over the top spectacular viewing. I loved it all the more because it retains the elements of the original that made it so beloved.

While the storyline is new and the songs are all different, Mary Poppins Returns does tether itself to its predecessor in a way that is deeply nostalgic for fans of the original. Set during the 1930s, there’s a clever mix of old world classic threaded with a modern edge, giving it an accessibility to audiences both new and old. I loved the scene with the lantern lighters, their old school tapping and show dancing intermingling with cyclists doing tricks and aerials on ramps built into the rooftops. This scene is of course the Mary Poppins Returns version of ‘Chim-Chimney’. It’s at once familiar, but also different. This element of then and now plays itself out over and over, which is a delight for old fans like me, but it doesn’t affect the enjoyment of new viewers who are unlikely to have seen the first Mary Poppins film. And no, you don’t need to have seen the first film in order to enjoy this second. However, if you have seen the first, and you didn’t like it, then you’re unlikely to get much out of this one. The best way I can put it is: same but different.

There are two special appearances in Mary Poppins Returns that warrant a mention. The first is Dick Van Dyke, who at 93 years of age, dances on a desktop as sprightly as he did 54 years ago when he played Bert the chimney sweep. He plays a different character this time around, but again, to me, his inclusion in the new film is a heavy nostalgic nod that is nothing short of delightful, and yes, his eyes do still twinkle with merriment. Angela Lansbury, also 94 years of age, plays the Balloon Lady. While she was not in the original, she was in Bedknobs and Broomsticks, which with its mix of live-action and animation, was so similar to Mary Poppins that many people of my vintage would remember the two films hand in hand. In Mary Poppins Returns, Lansbury’s character, the Balloon Lady, serves the same function as the Bird Lady in the original Mary Poppins, but its also a nod to Bedknobs and Broomsticks in the sense that she is playing the same type of character in both films, and her ending line to Mary Poppins as they watch everyone float around hanging from balloons is a nod to both of those films, with their themes of childhood joy and imagination, which dwindles away once we hit adulthood.

“The grownups always forget by morning.”

Meryl Streep also warrants a mention. She is utterly fabulous as Mary’s cousin Topsy Turvy. And Colin Firth plays a great villain, very dapper indeed in his pinstripes. And what of Emily Blunt, who took the greatest risk of all in playing such an iconic and beloved character? Well, to quote Mary Poppins herself, she was:

“Practically perfect.”

Throughout this film I had a permanent smile on my face and I felt a true sense of joy – to be able to watch a film that is so timeless, tethered so strongly to a beloved childhood classic, yet still offering something new, is quite rare. It’s not for everyone, but it certainly fulfilled my expectations. I can’t wait now for it to come out on DVD so that I can pop it onto my shelf next to its predecessor and have a Mary Poppins marathon any old time I like.