Theresa Smith's Blog, page 63

The Week That Was…

It’s been a bit quiet on the blogging front from me, although I’ve probably noticed this more than you. I haven’t read a book in at least two weeks, so while a couple of reviews went up this week, they were scheduled ahead and I likely won’t have any next week. I haven’t even been watching all that much to comment on either, just catching up on season 4 of This Is Us here and there.

What I have been doing is relocating from Mount Isa to Rockhampton. Within the last two weeks I was successful in obtaining a new, hopefully exciting, definitely challenging, role within Education Queensland (my current employer of 10 years). I have said goodbye to some truly terrific people, packed my car (and my life) up, temporarily said goodbye to my children who will join me closer to Christmas, organised what seems like a billion things to do with moving, wrapped up one job while mentally preparing for another, and driven 15 hours over two days with my little parrot Mordy by my side. I’ve never driven more than 4 hours alone, so this, I consider, a major achievement. I’ve arrived back in Rockhampton and have begun reuniting with friends who I haven’t seen much of in the eight years since I left (although have kept in close contact with) and moved into an unfurnished house with minimal stuff. I keep reminding myself that I have time to do ALL THE THINGS and get ALL THE STUFF, plus, my own stuff is on its way, just in stages. I have some great friends all offering help and if I just remind myself to breathe, slow down, and take it all one day at a time, it will all work out.

I am in a short term rental, for about 6 months, as my own home is currently tenanted. The house I’m going into is quite nice, freshly painted, new kitchen and bathroom, same neighbourhood as my own, big enough for us all. A couple of disappointments, which I just need to get over, but even so:

1. The garages are so low, my car can’t fit. I don’t know what car could, they’re so low! So my lovely brand new car has to now sit out in the open in the driveway for six months. I’m worried about storms, hail specifically, as we are going into storm season and hail already seems to be showing up around Queensland.

2. The house is living all upstairs and downstairs/underneath is the garages, laundry and an enclosed rumpus room, all of which is disappointingly filthy with spiders and crap left from painters and tilers, not at all what the photos looked like. I keep telling myself it’s downstairs, I’ll only need to use the laundry, although the rumpus room would be ideal for storage of boxes I’m planning on unpacking until I get into my actual house. I’ve taken a lot of photos of the downstairs conditions and noted everything on the entry condition report, but still, at some stage, me being me, I can see myself cleaning it and I wish I didn’t even have to deal with it. Thank goodness the upstairs was not like that!

Anyway, other than that, I am quite satisfied with the place and am looking forward to giving it a good vacuum and mop and then I can begin to set up and unpack.

Monday I start my new job! Wish me luck, I am feeling quite daunted right now.

Here’s a few shots of my road trip. By the way, Mordy was a dream traveller, just incredible. I had visions of screeching the entire journey. He chatted from time to time, but otherwise just played or slept. It was nice for me to have ‘someone’ to talk to along the way as well. What a bird!

#TheClassicsEight: A Cat Among the Pigeons by Agatha Christie

A Cat Among the Pigeons
About the Book:

Unpleasant things are going on in an exclusive school for girls – things like murder…

Late one night, two teachers investigate a mysterious flashing light in the sports pavilion, while the rest of the school sleeps. There, among the lacrosse sticks, they stumble upon the body of the unpopular games mistress – shot through the heart from point blank range. The school is thrown into chaos when the ‘cat’ strikes again. Unfortunately, schoolgirl Julia Upjohn knows too much. In particular, she knows that without Hercule Poirot’s help, she will be the next victim…

My Thoughts:

This is my first Agatha Christie and while I can’t deny it was an entertaining read, if I didn’t have a special Folio edition of Murder on the Orient Express, it would likely also be my last. This book has not dated well, from two perspectives. The first concerns Christie herself. Not only was this book filled with derogatory references toward Black, Asian, Italian, French Native American and Arab peoples, it also contained distasteful passages about Jews and Catholics. All of her characters use racial epithets in normal conversation, repeatedly. Now, I do understand that when you read these older ‘classic’ titles, you do need to allow for changing conventions and the differing mores of the eras, but even accounting for this, Christie was unbelievably pro-British Empire in a very white supremacist kind of way, and this translates over and into her characters, dishing up racism and intolerance in layers. It’s quite nauseating.

The other aspect in which this book doesn’t date well is more to do with language convention. Again, times have changed and so has the way we speak, but there seemed to be this innuendo running through the novel, and to have listed all of the examples might have led to this review being flagged as containing offensive material! However, to give you an idea:

‘How’d you like to penetrate into a girls’ school?’ he asked.

~~~

‘Nom d’un nom d’un nom!’ ejaculated Poirot in an awe-inspired whisper.

Is this really the way that people in the 1950s spoke? There was also a section in which one of the characters says that she has a ‘big pussy installed’ in her unwell mother’s house to care for her whenever she is not there. I can’t even go there, sorry. Is she talking about a nurse, a housekeeper? Have they ever been called that? Or is it a service cat? It all seems a little beyond the pale, to be honest.

As I mentioned initially, the story was entertaining in terms of a murder mystery and the sophistication of the plot. It’s billed as a Poirot novel, but the great man himself doesn’t even make an appearance until over two-thirds of the way through. Perhaps this is normal for Poirot novels. He is enlisted to help, does some preliminary investigations with the remainder of his case being worked off-page. Then he gathers everyone in the same room, presents his findings in a way that tricks the guilty party into making a confession, and then the case is closed. To me, it seemed as though Christie spent all this time building a cracker mystery only to have Poirot explain her plot at the very end as a means of wrapping everything up quickly and neatly.

‘You seem to have explanations for everything, Mr Poirot.’

‘That’s his speciality,’ said Inspector Kelsey with slight malice.

At least no one can gasp in astonishment that I’ve never read a Christie anymore. Can’t say it’s enriched my life now that I have! However, I needed to read a classic I’ve never read before for my last bingo category and this fit the bill nicely.

[image error]

Cat Among the Pigeons

First Published in 1959

Book Review: Before the Crown by Flora Harding

Before the Crown…
About the Book:

1943

As war rages across the world, Princess Elizabeth comes face to face with the dashing naval officer she first met in London nine years before. One of the youngest first lieutenants in the Royal Navy, Philip represents everything she has always been taught to avoid. Instability. Audacity. Adventure. But when the king learns of their relationship, the suitability of the foreign prince is questioned by all at court. He is the risk she has never been allowed to take. The risk not even the shadow of the crown will stop her from taking…

Step through the palace gates and discover a captivating historical novel of royal secrets and forbidden love exploring the tempestuous courtship between Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the wake of WWII.

My Thoughts:

I do enjoy watching The Crown so this novel, Before the Crown, offered a nice bit of fan fiction that takes readers through the courtship of Elizabeth and Philip, ending at the point where the popular Netflix drama begins. Prospective readers need to be aware that this is purely fiction though, there are no historical endnotes to this novel indicating otherwise, and so as long as you go into it expecting a royal fairy tale, then you won’t be disappointed.

The novel is true to the characterisation of Elizabeth and Philip as they appear in The Crown. I am a bit of an Elizabeth fan, less so of Philip, and this novel did nothing to alter that for me. Within a life guided by duty, choosing Philip as her husband was her one act of defiance, the only time she insisted on something for herself. She quietly fought for him, against the wishes of both of her parents and the British government, and in the end, as we all know, she got her way. He really was not worthy of the efforts! At least, not at the start, and quite possibly, not at many points during their marriage, particularly in the early years. While Elizabeth was quietly nursing a very true love for him, he merely regarded his impending marriage as a goal. He does redeem himself in the end. This scene where Elizabeth is showered with gifts for her twenty-first birthday, all sorts of riches from dignitaries all around the world, offered the first step, in my eyes, towards Philip’s redemption, but I’ve always been rather sentimental about ‘the little things’.

‘Elizabeth opens the box and lifts the tissue paper to release the sweet smell of roses, lavender, and lily of the valley. Inside lie three perfect bars of soap, and she smiles as she lifts each to her nose, remembering how she had told him how much she longed for soap during the war.’

The description for this novel gives the impression of a far more romantic story than what it actually is – thank goodness! Their courtship was not like that, and I appreciated that the author maintained a level of authenticity within this representation. Without the context of The Crown to fall back on, the story may seem a little bland to readers, the characters a little one-dimensional. I did enjoy it, but it is a light read, devoid of the politics and intrigue that the television series has become known for.

Thanks is extended to HarperCollins Publishers Australia for providing me with a copy of Before the Crown for review.

[image error]

Before the Crown

Published by HarperCollins UK

Released 17th September 2020

#6degrees of separation: from Gulliver’s Wife to The Railwayman’s Wife

It’s the first Saturday of the month so that means it’s #6degrees of separation time! This month’s starting book is a wild card – start with the book you’ve ended a previous chain with, and continue from there.

You can find the details and rules of the #6degrees meme at booksaremyfavouriteandbest, but in a nutshell, on the first Saturday of every month, everyone has the same starting book and from there, you connect in a variety of ways to other books. Some of the connections made are so impressive, it’s a lot of fun to follow.

I’ve participated in eight six degrees meme’s this year and looking back at what each end title was, I decided on going with Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater, which was my ending book for August. When I type the word ‘wife’ into the search bar of my e-reader, I got, in this order:

Gulliver’s Wife by Lauren Chater (entirely by coincidence my starting book came up first!)

[image error]

1. Shakespeare’s Wife by Germaine Greer

2. Runaway Wife by Rowan Coleman

3. The Pharmacist’s Wife by Vanessa Tait

4. The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

5. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld

6. The Railwayman’s Wife by Ashley Hay

Obviously a popular way to title a book! Funnily enough, it doesn’t irritate me as much as the overuse of ‘girl’.

That’s my six degrees for this month.

Book Review: The Good Sister by Sally Hepworth

The Good Sister…
About the Book:

From the outside, everyone might think Fern and Rose are as close as twin sisters can be: Rose is the responsible one, with a home and a husband and a fierce desire to become a mother. Fern is the quirky one, the free spirit, the librarian who avoids social interaction and whom the world might just describe as truly odd. But the sisters are devoted to one another and Rose has always been Fern’s protector from the time they were small.

Fern needed protecting because their mother was a true sociopath who hid her true nature from the world, and only Rose could see it. Fern always saw the good in everyone. Years ago, Fern did something very, very bad. And Rose has never told a soul. When Fern decides to help her sister achieve her heart’s desire of having a baby, Rose realizes with growing horror that Fern might make choices that can only have a terrible outcome. What Rose doesn’t realize is that Fern is growing more and more aware of the secrets Rose, herself, is keeping. And that their mother might have the last word after all.

Spine tingling, creepy, utterly compelling and unpredictable, The Good Sister is about the ties that bind sisters together…and about the madness that lurks where you least expect it.

My Thoughts:

A twisting tale of manipulation and sibling rivalry gone mad, nothing is quite as it seems in The Good Sister. Twins Rose and Fern are close, yet from the outset, I felt a certain toxicity to the relationship, a razor sharp edge of manipulation and control. Something was off with these twins, and very early on in the story, I started to have an inkling as to what it was. Nevertheless, don’t be fooled by this show of hand so early, this psychological thriller is less about the astonishing reveal and more about the long game.

Fern instantly endeared herself to me and then once Wally was on the scene, the deal was well and truly sealed in terms of who was my favourite twin and who was not. Fern has sensory issues, in that, she has hypersensitive senses, so things like bright lights, loud noises, crowds, changes in temperature and people touching her, just to list a few as an example, make life incredibly challenging for her. She can’t cope in these situations, and for the most part, she uses avoidance strategies to deal with this. When she meets Wally, she soon realises that she may have just met a kindred spirit.

As I mentioned above, Sally shows her hand quite early on in this story in terms of what might be going on. It’s nothing as obvious as a big reveal, more an element of sustained dread that takes root and just continues to build as the story progresses. I felt like this was deliberate, a way of steering us, as readers, into fully appreciating what life must be like for Fern. Just as we could see what was going on, so could some of the other characters in Fern’s life. For Fern however, the extent of the manipulations she had been subjected to rendered her incapable of fully comprehending the danger she was in until it was almost too late. She simply couldn’t see what we could. Therefore, I do think this was less ‘obvious plot reveal’ and more ‘intentional plot mastering’.

This story is an excellent case study in vulnerability. It’s also a cautionary tale about hidden depths and dangerous minds. Fans of Sally Hepworth will enjoy this latest release and if you are new to her work, this one is sure to turn you into a fan.

Thanks is extended to St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a copy of The Good Sister for review.

About the Author:

Sally Hepworth has lived around the world, spending extended periods in Singapore, the United Kingdom and Canada, where she worked in event management and human resources. She is the author of The Secrets of Midwives, The Things We Keep, The Mother’s Promise, The Family Next Door and The Mother-in-Law.

Sally now lives in Melbourne, with her husband, three children and one adorable dog.

[image error]

The Good Sister

Published by Macmillan Australia

Released 27th October 2020

Book Review: Honeybee by Craig Silvey

Honeybee…
About the Book:

The highly anticipated new novel by the bestselling author of Jasper Jones.

‘Find out who you are, and live that life.’

Late in the night, fourteen-year-old Sam Watson steps onto a quiet overpass, climbs over the rail and looks down at the road far below.

At the other end of the same bridge, an old man, Vic, smokes his last cigarette.

The two see each other across the void. A fateful connection is made, and an unlikely friendship blooms. Slowly, we learn what led Sam and Vic to the bridge that night. Bonded by their suffering, each privately commits to the impossible task of saving the other.

Honeybee is a heartbreaking, life-affirming novel that throws us headlong into a world of petty thefts, extortion plots, botched bank robberies, daring dog rescues and one spectacular drag show.

At the heart of Honeybee is Sam: a solitary, resilient young person battling to navigate the world as their true self; ensnared by loyalty to a troubled mother, scarred by the volatility of a domineering stepfather, and confounded by the kindness of new alliances.

Honeybee is a tender, profoundly moving novel, brimming with vivid characters and luminous words. It’s about two lives forever changed by a chance encounter — one offering hope, the other redemption. It’s about when to persevere, and when to be merciful, as Sam learns when to let go, and when to hold on.

My Thoughts:

I don’t quite know what to say about this novel aside from the fact that it’s brilliant. Incredibly moving. Desperately sad yet life affirming in its intent. The main character, Sam, is the same age as my youngest son, fourteen, and every single time I was reminded about that throughout the novel, I’d be in floods of tears. To go through so much at such a young age, to be so abandoned, to feel so much shame and self-loathing; it constantly broke my heart.

There are some unbelievably wonderful characters in this novel. Vic was just the most accepting man, I was quite humbled by his characterisation and moved by the bond he developed with Sam, the way in which he stepped up to protect him. Also Peter and Aggie, who stepped into Sam’s life at just the right moment. I am left wondering, after reading this novel, at how incredibly isolating it must be for young people struggling with their identity and sexuality whilst living in small towns. Sam found Peter, and from there, some other supportive networks, but what if that doesn’t exist where a young person lives? Life was hard enough for Sam as it was and he was in a city.

This novel is magnificent. It has been a long time between releases from Craig Silvey, but it has been worth the wait.

Thanks is extended to Allen & Unwin for providing me with a copy of Honeybee for review.

About the Author:

Craig Silvey is an author and screenwriter from Fremantle, Western Australia.

His critically acclaimed debut novel, Rhubarb, was published in 2004. His bestselling second novel, Jasper Jones, was released in 2009 and is considered a modern Australian classic. Published in over a dozen territories, Jasper Jones has won plaudits in three continents, including an International Dublin Literary Award shortlisting, a Michael J. Printz Award Honor, and a Miles Franklin Literary Award shortlisting. Jasper Jones was the Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year for 2010.

Honeybee is his third novel.

[image error]

Honeybee

Published by Allen & Unwin

Released 29th September 2020

The Week That Was…

It’s been quite a busy week this week. After 16 years, I got a new car!

A Month of Reading: October

#aww2020: 4 books

#BookBingo2020: 1 book

I wrapped both of these challenges up this month and the relief I felt about that is a big indicator that my reading will be challenge free for the foreseeable future.

Total books read for October: 9

Another slow reading month. The books are piling up faster than reducing.

#aww2020 Challenge Completed

I’m calling a wrap to my #aww2020 challenge much earlier than normal this year. I initially set a target at 52 books, but I’m tapping out at 49. I expect to read several more books written by Australian women between now and the end of the year, and will continue to link them in the Australian Women Writers database as I go, but I have a lot going on at present and I’m finding myself with a bit of challenge fatigue – not specifically this one, but challenges as a concept. It’s hard enough at present finding time to read anything, much less be concerned about what it is and what challenge it fits into.

So, to recap in covers, here are the 49 books I’ve read this year for #aww2020!

Quick Shots Book Review: Vida by Jacqueline Kent

Vida: A woman for our time…
About the Book:

Vida Goldstein was an advocate for women’s rights, a campaigner for peace, fought for the distribution of wealth, and a trail-blazer who provided leadership and inspiration to innumerable people.

Blazing her trail at the dawn of the twentieth century, Vida Goldstein remains Australia’s most celebrated crusader for the rights of women. Her life – as a campaigner for the suffrage in Australia, Britain and America, an advocate for peace, a fighter for social equality and a shrewd political commentator – marks her as one of Australia’s foremost women of courage and principle.

Vida first came to national prominence as the first woman in the Western world to stand for a national Parliament, in Victoria, for the Senate, in 1903. As a fighter for equal rights for women, and as a champion of social justice, she quickly established a pattern of working quietly against men’s control of Australian society. Her work for the peace movement and against conscription during the heightened emotions of the First World War showed her determination to defy governments in the name of fairness and equity.

Vida came to adulthood when Australia was in the process of inventing itself as a new nation, one in which women might have opportunities equal to those of men. Her work for her own sex, especially her battles for equality in politics, illuminated issues that persist to this day.

Jacqueline Kent has written acclaimed biographies of Julia Gillard, pianist and social activist Hephzibah Menuhin, and pioneer book editor Beatrice Davis.

My Thoughts:

‘Anyone who has sought to bring about social or political change has been forced to recognise that in Australia the way of the reformer is always hard.’

This was such an informative and entertaining biography. Prior to reading this book, I had not heard of Vida Goldstein. She was such a force to be reckoned with: political activist, women’s suffragist, pacifist, and above all, social reformer; an absolute inspiration. This book is so much more than a biography, the history contained within it was absorbing, spanning beyond the Victorian border into greater Australia, the US, and England. Every single freedom and right we enjoy today as Australian women and girls is a direct result of the tireless work by pioneering activists like Vida. I found this to be a very humbling read as well as an entirely inspirational one. Written in the style of narrative non-fiction whilst retaining its integrity as a biography, Vida is a necessary read for anyone with an interest in Australian history.

Thanks is extended to Penguin Random House Australia for providing me with a copy of Vida for review.

About the Author:

Jacqueline Kent was born in Sydney and grew up there and in Adelaide. Originally trained as a journalist and broadcaster, she has also been a book editor and a reviewer for numerous publications, and has a Doctorate of Creative Arts from the University of Technology, Sydney. As well as biography and general social history, she has written fiction for young adults. A Certain Style: Beatrice Davis, A Literary Life won the 2002 National Biography Award and the Nita B. Kibble Award. An Exacting Heart: The Story of Hephzibah Menuhin won the 2009 Nita B. Kibble Award. Beyond Words, A Year with Kenneth Cook was published to acclaim in 2019. She lives in Sydney.

[image error]

Vida

Published by Penguin Random House Australia

Released 15th September 2020